Race for our River

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Forest & Bird is staging a fun multisport event with a difference to raise awareness of the need to protect the Manawatu River.

The race is geared to suit all ages and abilities – participants will run 8km, cycle 14km, kayak 2km, and negotiate a bouncy castle obstacle course. And they will also have to take water samples at two points along the Manawatu River during the race to check the health of the river.

Forest & Bird Lower North Island Field Officer says the race is a great way to let the Manawatu community know about environmental issues affecting the quality of their river.

“People in Manawatu value their river as a great place to enjoy activities such as swimming, kayaking, picnicking and fishing, and are interested to learn more about the rich variety of wildlife which the river supports – and the environmental threats to this wonderful natural asset.”

“Unfortunately the quality of the Manawatu River’s water is compromised by numerous discharges of along the river, including sewage and industrial and agricultural effluent, and the effects of run-off of nutrients and eroded sediment from surrounding farmland,” James Griffiths says.

“If we can reduce these harmful activities, we can protect our river in a healthy state for the enjoyment of everyone. Race for our River is a fun way of letting people experience that first-hand.”

WHAT: Race for our River multisport family fun event (8km run, 14km cycle, 2km kayak – and more!)

WHEN: Saturday, April 5, from 9am-3pm

WHO: Forest & Bird and the Manawatu community

WHERE: Starting point is Centennial Lagoon, Palmerston North

 

          Manawatu River facts:

• The Manawatu River catchment runs both east and west of the Tararua and Ruahine Ranges and covers nearly 6000 square kilometres.
• The highest point in the catchment is the headwaters of the Mangahao River at 1504 metres above sea level – the lowest point is where the Manwatu River meets the sea near Foxton.
• The main part of the river begins in the Ruahine Ranges north-west of Dannevirke and runs through the Manawatu Gorge through the Manawatu and Horowhenua Districts to the west coast at Foxton.
• Its major tributaries include the Mangahao, Mangatainoka, Makori, Tiraumea, Oroua and Pohangina Rivers. The river and its tributaries run through or near numerous towns, including Palmerston North, Ashhurst, Feilding, Shannon, Woodville and Foxton.
• The catchment also includes dune lakes, swamps, oxbow lakes (which were once part of the main river channel) and the Manawatu Estuary, which is recognized as a wetland of international importance.
• Many of these features are important habitat for native species, many of them endangered or in decline, including eels, native fish, white herons, bitterns, wrybills, banded dotterels, royal spoonbills and fernbirds.
• The river is also widely used for recreation, including fishing, swimming, canoeing, boating, water skiing, sightseeing, picnicking, birdwatching and walking.
• There are more than 400 discharges affecting the Manawatu River catchment (24 discharges of treated sewage, 32 discharges of industrial waste and 378 from dairy sheds and piggeries, the indirect effect of waste discharged to land from 427 dairy sheds and piggeries and from 13 industries, an unknown number of stormwater systems, leachate from rubbish dumps, seepage from septic tanks and run-off from agricultural and forest land.
• Effects of these contaminants have included prolific growth of weeds and slime, increased levels of bacteria, water quality unfit for swimming, reduced clarity of river water, mass deaths of fish, and increased numbers of water-dwelling insects.