Conservation and Landscape Reserves Management Plan

Consultation closed 30 June

The future management of Council's conservation estate is to be outlined in its first ever Conservation and Landscape Reserves Management Plan.

What happens next

Council received 13 submissions for the Conservation and Landscape Reserves Management Plan consultation, which closed 30 June. Work on developing the plan will begin in July, taking into account the views expressed in submissions. Once a draft plan is ready there will be a further two month period for the public to have their say on what the plan contains.

What areas will be covered under the plan

The Council manages 10,000ha of conservation estate, including water catchment areas (about 8,000 ha), some small areas of plantation forestry and grazing land in a few locations.

The plan will also cover 300ha of landscape reserves. These are somewhat different to the conservation areas as they are highly modified environments and not managed with the intention of returning them to their natural state. Landscape reserves generally form a backdrop to the city.

The following other reserves are covered by the plan:

• the Grampians
• the Centre of New Zealand
• Sir Stanley Whitehead Park
• Marsden Valley
• Pukatea
• Titoki
• Venner
• Bolwell
• Botanical Hill
• Maitai Arboretum
• Pipers Park
• Tantragee
• Atmore Landscape Reserves
• the Brook, Maitai, and Roding Water Reserve Catchments. 

The plan will also cover the 715 ha of Brook Sanctuary, which is proposed to be enclosed by a pest-proof fence within the conservation estate.

What the plan aims to do

The plan will provide a framework for the future management of the reserves.

Some of the issues the plan will consider are:

• protecting the water catchment,
• biodiversity values,
• heritage areas such as argillite quarries and old mines,
• smaller conservation reserves that have isolation and linkage concerns,
• management of geologically significant (ultramafic) areas, and
• recreation interests such as mountain biking, tramping, multisport events, hunting and tourism.

Background

Under the Reserves Act 1977 Council is required to prepare management plans for many of its reserves. Generally speaking plans are to provide for the use, enjoyment, protection and preservation of reserves and depdning on resources available, their development.

Contact

For more information, contact Community Policy and Planning Co-ordinator on 546 0420.