Best practice guidelines for vegetation management and in stream works

Report: TR 2007/41

Author: Michelle Gibbs

These best practice guidelines cover activities undertaken by 'Waikato Regional Council involving works within watercourses and vegetation management (including bioengineering).

The guidelines do not cover activities associated with management of drainage districts as those are covered in a separate guideline document (Environment Waikato Technical Report 2006/06).

This document is divided into activities that Waikato Regional Council is involved with undertaking and sets out site assessment, planning, operational and follow-up practices that should be applied to those activities, regardless of whether an activity requires a resource consent or not.

The purpose of the guidelines is to:

• list and describe the operational activities carried out by Waikato Regional Council's River and Catchment Services group
• describe what is considered to be practical best management in each of the operational activities carried out
• ensure all staff working across the Waikato region work in a manner which is consistent with best practice
• assist in the training of new staff
• ensure that the day to day activities of the River and Catchment Services group have a no more than minor impact on the environment and wherever possible that they have a positive environmental effect.