Changes are on the cards to help improve wildlife protection in Canterbury's Waimakariri District

The local council will discuss several changes to the Northern Pegasus Bay Bylaw at a meeting today.

It will look at a DOC proposal to close the upper part of the Ashley River to vehicles, and a new rule requiring dogs to be on a leash in the area.

A report to the council in May identified dogs were impacting wildlife in the estuary.

Environment Canterbury has already banned vehicles in the lower end of the river during nesting season.