6.4 Policies

6.4.1 Indigenous Biological Diversity^

Policy 6-1: Responsibilities for maintaining indigenous biological diversity^

In accordance with s62(1)(i) RMA, local authority responsibilities for controlling land^ use activities for the purpose of managing indigenous biological diversity^ in the Region are apportioned as follows:

1. The Regional Council must be responsible for:
   1. developing objectives, policies and methods for the purpose of establishing a Region-wide approach for maintaining indigenous biological diversity^, including enhancement where appropriate
   2. developing rules^ controlling the use of land^ to protect areas of significant indigenous vegetation and significant habitats of indigenous fauna and to maintain indigenous biological diversity^, including enhancement where appropriate.
2. Territorial Authorities^ must be responsible for:
   1. retaining schedules of notable trees and amenity trees in their district plans^ or such other measures as they see fit for the purpose of recognising amenity, intrinsic and cultural values associated with indigenous biological diversity^, but not for the purpose of protecting significant indigenous vegetation and significant habitats of indigenous fauna as described in (a)(ii) above.
3. Both the Regional Council and Territorial Authorities^ must be responsible for:
   1. recognising and providing for matters described in s6(c) RMA and having particular regard to matters identified in s7(d) RMA when exercising functions and powers under the RMA, outside the specific responsibilities allocated above, including when making decisions on resource consent^ applications.

Policy 6-2: Regulation of activities affecting indigenous biological diversity^

For the purpose of managing indigenous biological diversity^ in the Region:

1. Habitats determined to be rare habitats* and threatened habitats* under Schedule F must be recognised as areas of significant indigenous vegetation or significant habitats of indigenous fauna.
2. At-risk habitats* that are assessed to be significant under Policy 13-5 must be recognised as significant indigenous vegetation or significant habitats of indigenous fauna.
3. The Regional Council must protect rare habitats*, threatened habitats* and at-risk habitats* identified in (a) and (b), and maintain and enhance other at-risk habitats* by regulating activities through its regional plan and through decisions on resource consents^.
4. Potential adverse effects^ on any rare habitat*, threatened habitat* or at-risk habitat* located within or adjacent to an area of forestry* must be minimised.
5. When regulating the activities described in (c) and (d), the Regional Council must, and when exercising functions and powers described in Policy 6-1, Territorial Authorities^ must:
   1. allow activities undertaken for the purpose of pest plant and pest animal control or habitat maintenance or enhancement,
   2. consider indigenous biological diversity^ offsets in appropriate circumstances as defined in Policy 13-4,
   3. allow the maintenance*, operation* and upgrade* of existing structures^, including infrastructure^ and other physical resources of regional or national importance as identified in Policy 3-1, and
   4. not unreasonably restrict the existing use of production land^ where the effects of such land^ use on rare habitat*, threatened habitat* or at-risk habitat* remain the same or similar in character, intensity and scale.

Policy 6-3: Proactive management of indigenous biological diversity^

1. The Regional Council will aim to maintain or enhance indigenous biological diversity^ by working in partnership with relevant landowners, other parties with a legal interest in the land^, and relevant consent holders to establish a management plan and incentive programme for the voluntary proactive management of identified sites* by 2016.
2. For the purposes of (a), separate programmes will be established for wetlands^, bush remnants, native fish communities and coastal ecosystems.
3. The management plans under (a) will generally address the following matters as a minimum:
   1. fencing and prevention of stock access
   2. pest plant and pest animal control
   3. planting
   4. agreed land^ uses
   5. work and materials to be provided by the Regional Council or a third party
   6. financial assistance to be provided by the Regional Council or a third party
   7. monitoring
   8. legal options for ensuring longevity of the measures implemented.

Policy 6-4: Fostering an ethic of stewardship

The Regional Council will equip landowners and others with the information they need to act as good stewards for indigenous biodiversity, and to act responsibly and proactively. These initiatives will be additional to the Council-led programmes under Policy 6-3.


Policy 6-5: Pest plants and pest animals

1. To the extent that they relate to the maintenance of indigenous biodiversity, the pest plant and pest animal management functions of the Regional Council will primarily target pests threatening rare habitats*, threatened habitats* and at-risk habitats*
2. When exercising functions and powers as set out in Policy 6-1, Territorial Authorities^ must take into account the risks of introducing pest plants or pest animals into rare habitats*, threatened habitats*, at-risk habitats* and nearby areas.