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Public presentations on natural resource management

Tuesday 20 November 2012, 2:53PM

By Greater Wellington Regional Council

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WELLINGTON

On 26 November the Wellington Regional Council will begin a region-wide series of public presentations on ideas for managing our region’s natural resources.

These ideas have been identified following extensive community consultation towards the development of a new regional plan, which will provide rules and policies to govern the use of the region’s natural resources and manage the effects of that use.

“How we look after coastal and marine areas, how we manage and respond to natural hazards, water allocation, and urban and rural water quality – these are the big environmental issues that have dominated our community consultation so far,” says Cr Chris Laidlaw, Co-Chair of Te Upoko Taiao, the regional council’s natural resource management committee made up of councillors and the region’s mana whenua.

“We’ve come up with some ideas that we believe can help solve these difficult problems and we’re looking forward to sharing these with the community in the upcoming presentations. The presentations will also be an opportunity for people to ask questions and get clarification.”

The key changes identified for the community’s consideration are

  • Clearer, more directive policies
  • Identifying a greater number and wider range of “sites of significance” – whether its for biodiversity, tangata whenua or heritage
  • The development of “whaitua” (zone) committees for managing catchments at a community level. The committees will set environmental targets for water quality and allocation and, working with the regional council, set limits and methods to achieve these

 

Te Waari Carkeek, Co-Chair of Te Upoko Taiao says the whaitua committees are a cornerstone of the new approach.

“The concept of kaitiakitanga – the recognition that everyone has a part of play as guardians of our natural and physical resources – is essential to the whaitua committee concept.

“The community as a whole needs to find solutions for managing the environment, particularly the way our land use – urban and rural – affects water quality. That’s the best way to get a lasting approach.”

People will have the opportunity from 26 November to 16 December to give feedback on the ideas put forward by the regional council.

For more information, contact our media team.

Regional Plan Review Q&As