introduction to new zealand, landcare research and luman · 2016-02-05 · introduction to new...
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction to New Zealand, Landcare Research and LUMAN
Daniel Rutledge, Fraser Morgan & Alexander Herzig
EcoArm2ERA – LUMAN Joint Workshop
Dublin, Ireland
11 June 2013
Google Maps
New Zealand: Isolated for ~80 million years
Last large land mass colonised by humans
• Pre-Human (~1000 yrs ago) – ~80% forested
– ~12% scrub/tussock
– ~2% wetlands
– High levels of endemism • 80% plants
• 60% terrestrial vertebrates
• Only mammals: 3 native bats
Area: 270,000 km2
Prevailing winds
Ancient elements
Tuatara Sphenodon guntheri and Sphenodon punctatus
Carnivorous, amphipod-eating snails
Birds
rule(d)!
• Pre-Human (~1000 yrs ago) – ~80% forested
– ~12% scrub/tussock
– ~5% wetlands
– High levels of endemism • 80% plants
• 60% terrestrial vertebrates
• Only mammals: 3 native bats
• Land Cover 2001/2002 – ~49% non-native cover
– ~26% forest
– ~15% scrub/tussock
– ~1% wetlands
– Exotic species • Mammals - stoats, rats, possums,
deer, goats, thar, chamois, etc.
• Plants – 2 000 naturalised
– 20 000+ more in gardens
– 4.4 Million Humans
– 5.3 Million Dairy Cows
– 38.5 Million Sheep
– ~2 Million Ha Plantation Forest
Area: 270,000 km2
Prevailing winds
Open nesting birds
(e.g. kokako, fantail,
kereru) are easy prey to
possums and rats
David Mudge
Nga Manu Images
Extinctions since
human settlement:
1 bat
At least 51 birds
3 frogs
3 lizards
1 freshwater fish
4 plants
A number of
invertebrates
Te Ara
Encyclopedia of
New Zealand
NZ GDP
• $211 Billion
• 30% Exports
• 20% Government Expenditure
GDP by Sector Primary Industries
7.2%
Goods Producing Industries
20.0%
Service Industries
64.4%
NZ Policy & Planning Context
• Local Government Act (LGA) – Establishes local gov’t structure – Regions & Districts – Mandates sustainable development approach – Requires preparation of long-term (≥10 years) plans
• Resource Management Act (RMA)
– Activity & Effects-based – Comprehensive – Manage resources in integrated and sustainable manner
• Spatial Planning
– No national spatial planning or plan – Spatial planning occurs primarily at the local level, except for
transport, which occurs across scales (national, regional, local)
Governance Structure
• National – key players – Parliament – Ministry for the Environment – Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment – Ministry for Primary Industries – Department of Conservation
• 10 Regions (black lines)
• 62 Districts (coloured shapes)
• 5 Unitary Authorities ( )
(Region + District Powers)
Chatham Islands
Example: Waikato Regional Council
Courtesy of Blair Dickie, Waikato Regional Council
Operative National Policy Statements
• Coastal Policy Statement (1994, 2010)
• Electricity Generation (2008)
• Renewable Electricity Generation (2011)
• Freshwater Management (2011)
• 8,627,729 ha nationally
• ~35% of NZ
• Includes – Conservation Estate (97.6%)
– Covenants • Nature Heritage Fund (0.2%)
• Nga Whenua Rahui (1%)
• QE II National Trust (1%)
– Regional Parks • Auckland (0.4%)
• EBOP (<0.1%)
• Horizons(<0.1%)
• Wellington (0.1%)
• Not Included – Marine Reserves
– Offshore Islands
– Local Reserves
– Private conservation areas (i.e. not legally protected)
Protected Areas
Network (PAN-NZ)
Threatened Environment Classification
Acutely Threatened <10% indigenous cover
Chronically Threatened 10-20% indigenous cover
At Risk 20-30% indigenous cover
Critically Underprotected >30% indigenous cover,
<10% protected
Underprotected >30% indigenous cover,
10-20% protected
Less Reduced &
Better Protected 20-30% indigenous cover
Land Information Availability
• Key National Datasets – Land Cover Database (1996, 2001, 2008) – Land Resources Inventory (Soils & Landform) – Fundamental Soils Layers – Land Environments of New Zealand – Topographic Information – Census of Population – Census of Agriculture – Census of Business – Ecosystem Services (emerging) – Agribase (private)
• Regional & Local – Varies widely – Detailed information on biodiversity for some areas – Consent information – but hard to get or synthesise
Recent Developments
• Resource Management Act – Simplifying and Streamlining Amendment Act 2009 – Resource Management Reform Phase 2
• Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Act
– Change to focus on core services (local infrastructure, local public services, performance of regulatory functions)
– Move away from Sustainable Development Pillars (cultural, economic, environmental, social)
• Auckland consolidation – Formerly 1 regional council + 7 city & district councils – Now single unitary authority – Requirement for Auckland Council to produce a spatial plan
• Land & Water Forum