He is stepping up as a spokesman after the drubbing 4WD recreationalists received following Crate Day celebrations on the river on Saturday, December 9.
Ashley hopes he can persuade those who take part in Crate Day to set their sights on the first Saturday in February for the annual trek.
He says when he began a one-day 4WD trek up the river from the Rangiora, Cones Road Bridge 13 years ago, he never imagined it would end up more than a decade later, creating such an uproar.
It began with him and a few mates enjoying a family day out, a barbecue and a swim.
The next year a few more joined in, and the concept grew — into Crate Day.
The recent trek attracted up to 150 or more 4WD.
Ashley believes the growth has caused a lot of disparate groups to join in the trek, leaving no one person as a spokesperson or contact for anyone to approach about concerns.
This has led to the 4WD drivers ‘‘being completely and unfairly blasted in the news and media’’.
‘‘The original Crate Day trip used to start down at the Rangiora Bridge and go upstream.
‘‘We changed that to avoid the nesting areas between the bridge and the Okuku confluence.’’
He says after chatting with a large number of the people who take part, it has been decided to ‘‘promote’’ a change of date to the beginning of February when the nesting season is done.
‘‘The Crate Day just gone will be the last year a large portion of the people I know, and associate with, will be attending the day on the original date.’’
Ashley says the positives of a date change means river levels will ‘‘usually’’ be more consistent, it will be a great way to celebrate summer and the start of a new year, and won’t fall on the same day as Santa festivities for family’s that want to attend.
‘‘We are not the bad bunch of people that the media is making us out to be.
‘‘Most of us are upstanding, respectful members of society that participate in the river clean up days and do our best to preserve the area we enjoy.
‘‘I want to see our access to the river maintained for years to come, and I don't think butting heads with people that are just trying to do what they think is right will be the correct way to go about that,’’ Ashley says.
For those who want to celebrate Crate Day, an unofficial celebration in New Zealand, held on the first Saturday of December, Ashley hopes to look at doing another event.
It is early days yet, says Ashley, but he would like to see an ‘‘all inclusive’’ event, on a private property, where everyone can enjoy socialising, ‘‘without being in a public place and ruining someone else’s day’’.
He concedes a lot of people don’t want to join clubs or a group for all sorts of reasons.
But he says that doesn't mean ‘‘as a group we can’t steer it in the right direction and I hope that's what this will do’’.
His effort to shift the date of Crate Day have been welcomed by the Department of Conservation (DOC), the Ashley Rakahuri Rivercare Group (ARRG) and the Waimakariri District Council.
DOC North Canterbury operations manager Leeann Ellis says it is fantastic there is strong support from participants of the four-wheel-drive event on Crate Day to change the date.
DOC appreciated they had considered the impact of the event on endangered nesting birds who were vulnerable to disturbance, and difficult to spot by vehicle users.
Work would continue with ARRG, the Waimakariri Council, Environment Canterbury, and the combined 4WD Club to try and minimise disturbance, and improve the breeding success of the threatened birds.
Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon says the council is concerned at Crate Day activities, and this year worked with the Police, DOC, 4WD clubs and Environment Canterbury (ECan), to try and educate drivers to avoid areas known to be bird nesting areas.
He is keen to have a formalised group to work with 4WD enthusiasts, and says having been approached by 4WD clubs keen to move the date ‘‘is a great outcome where people can use our natural environment for recreation pursuits without it being to the detriment of native wildlife or plants.’’
ARRG spokesperson Judith Hugey congratulated Ashley Sergeant for standing up, taking leadership and recognising the event had morphed into something that threatened endangered braided river birds. “Our hope is that all participants will heed the call. It would be an example for a change of behaviour on rivers throughout NZ.’’
