Nelson City Council

Adopted 1 May 2007, Reviewed 2009

The Nelson Biodiversity Strategy launched on 5 June 2007 at the blind channel end of the Tahunanui Back Beach. The Strategy, adopted by Nelson City Council on 1 May 2007, represents a first for the Council. Not only is it the first of its kind to be adopted in the Top of the South Island, it was initiated and developed by a group of 22 partner organisations, ranging from Forest and Bird to Federated Farmers.

The draft strategy was then recommended to Council by the partners. Council then approved it for public consultation in December 2006. Normally Council staff develop such a strategy internally and then seek input and approval from community partners and stakeholders--the Nelson Biodiversity Strategy has effectively reversed this process.

Download

The focus of the strategy is on aligned action on biodiversity by responsible agencies and the community. “Biodiversity” is the full range of living things that interact with one another and their environment.

Download the Nelson Biodiversity Strategy 2009 Review (370KB PDF).

What next?

Funding has been sourced from central government that will allow five action plans to be created as outlined in the Biodiversity Strategy.  This again will be done in partnership with the groups that have helped to draft the Strategy. Council then aims to access more central government funding to get down to the nuts and bolts work that could be involved.  This might range from pest eradication programmes to educational or promotional events.

Nelson Biodiversity Forum

Find out about the Nelson Biodiversity Forum, the group of partner organisations working to implement the Nelson Biodiversity Strategy.

Working together

The organisations that have been instrumental in the development of the Biodiversity strategy are:

• Nelson City Council
• Department of Conservation
• Queen Elizabeth II National Trust
• Ministry of Fisheries (Minfish)
• Forest and Bird
• Fish and Game NZ
• Ngati Koata
• Ngati Tama
• Ngati Rarua
• Ngati Toa
• Ngati Kuia
• Te Atiawa
• Ngati Apa
• NZ Landcare Trust
• Federated Farmers
• Hancock Forest Management Ltd
• Nelson Forests Ltd
• Cawthron Institute
• NIWA
• Manaaki Whenua, Landcare Research
• Te Puni Kokiri
• Nelson Environment Centre
• The Brook Waimarama Sanctuary Trust

Seven principles for biodiversity

The seven principles for biodiversity management action by the parties to this strategy are:

1. Our unique ecological heritage will be protected now and for future generations
2. Action will contribute to the long term sustainability and health of Nelson ecosystems and take into account our national and global responsibilities
3. The biodiversity foundations of Nelson’s prosperity will be protected and enhanced
4. Precaution will be used in making decisions to allow for the limits to our understanding of biological complexity
5. Costs, benefits and risks will be rigorously assessed to enable best use of limited resources
6. Nelson’s sense of community and its capacity for cooperative enterprise will be fostered
7. Partners will work within their organisations to ensure that these commitments are discussed, understood and acted on by all appropriate staff.

The biodiversity foundation of Nelson

Biodiversity based industries are the source of the majority of employment in the region (horticulture, agriculture, forestry and fishing), not to mention the contribution biodiversity makes to our natural heritage, sense of belonging, health and wellbeing.

The purpose of the strategy is ‘to create a rich and sustainable future for Nelson through aligned action on biodiversity by responsible agencies and by the community’.

The Biodiversity Strategy will be monitored and reviewed. Monitoring will measure amongst other things; area of restored or re-vegetated native environment, the number of locally threatened native species made secure and the number of invasive weeds and pests eradicated or brought under effective management in Nelson City. The strategy will be reviewed every three years in advance of the Nelson LTCCP.