Council's Significant Natural Areas (SNA) Project
The Marlborough Significant Natural Areas Project involves the Marlborough District Council collecting information about natural ecosystems on private land, with the aim of working with landowners to help protect ecologically significant sites. It is driven by the requirements of Section 6(c) of the Resource Management Act 1991, which states that the protection of significant indigenous vegetation and significant habitats of indigenous fauna be recognised and provided for as a matter of national importance.
The project has been underway since 2000. It involves two main types of work:
- carrying out an ecological survey of areas on private properties to identify the sites and issues
- following up to encourage and help landowners to protect these sites.
From 2000 to 2003 the focus of the survey work was in South Marlborough, since mid 2004 the surveys have begun in the Marlborough Sounds area. Follow up work with landowners has been taking place in South Marlborough since 2003.
Two newsletters have been produced relating to the project.
The Survey Work
The Council employs contract ecologists Geoff Walls and Philip Simpson to carry out the ecological survey work. Paul Millen is also employed to contact landowners and arrange access for the surveys and also to initiate follow up protection work with landowners.
The survey work has been carried out in a partnership with landowners. It is a voluntary process. In South Marlborough the overall response was positive with 160 properties being involved and 63 declining to be involved. Over 360 sites have been identified in South Marlborough. The Council has necessarily worked closely with the Department of Conservation which was carrying out a similar survey over part of the area.
Click below to see the map which shows areas surveyed and DoC/MDC areas.
Ecological - Districts Map (jpg)
Those surveyed by the Council have received individual property reports summarising the ecological values found, including the identification and description of significant sites and management suggestions to ensure their long term survival. The Department of Conservation has produced a report summarising all findings
(Wairau Ecological Region, Survey Report for the Protected Natural Areas programme, Department of Conservation, June 2004). Landowners involved have received this report, which is also publicly available from the Department of Conservation or the Marlborough District Council.
A summary of findings of both surveys for the whole of south Marlborough is also available from Marlborough District Council (South Marlborough Significant Natural Areas Project - a Summary of Results from an Ecological Survey of Significant Natural Areas on Private Land in Marlborough, South of the Wairau River, July 2005). This report covers all of the eight ecological districts surveyed by both the Council and Department of Conservation. It includes a description of each ecological district, the key findings of the survey work, and the issues and threats to some of the sites which were identified through the survey work. Contact Nicky Eade or Ian Shapcott at the Council for a copy.
Table 10: Summary of Ecological Survey Results
| Ecological Districts |
No Properties Surveyed |
No Properties Declined |
No of Sites |
Combined Area (ha) |
% of total land area |
|
Kekerengu |
18 |
3 |
55 |
1340 |
4.3 % |
|
Medway |
13 |
3 |
70 |
4656 |
14.6 % |
|
Waihopai |
18 |
15 |
55 |
5274 |
5% |
|
Blenheim |
11 |
1 |
9 |
268 |
<1% |
|
Wither Hills |
18 |
7 |
13 |
4905 |
16 % |
|
Grassmere |
9 |
4 |
10 |
152 |
<1% |
|
Flaxbourne |
21 |
14 |
24 |
1165 |
4.1% |
|
Hillersden |
27 |
4 |
29 |
3660 |
7.5% |
|
Totals |
135 |
51 |
265 |
21420 ha |
6.6% (average) |
Table 11. Ecosystem Types - Distribution and Extent (hectares - private land only)
| Ecosystem Type |
Kek |
Med |
Waih |
Blen |
Grass |
With |
Flax |
Hill |
Totals |
|
Rarangi Beach System |
|
|
|
200 |
|
|
|
|
200 |
|
Inland Wetland |
2 |
|
59 |
65 |
21 |
|
27 |
6 |
180ha |
|
Coastal Wetland |
21 |
|
|
|
12 |
|
|
|
33ha |
|
Coastal dunes |
53 |
|
|
|
33 |
|
|
|
86ha |
|
Coastal rock |
20 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
20ha |
|
Kanuka forest |
66 |
1090 |
1370 |
4 |
|
3795 |
550 |
2470 |
9345ha |
|
Manuka forest |
2 |
17 |
21 |
|
|
|
|
|
40ha |
|
Riverbeds/Riparian |
63 |
746 |
400 |
|
|
3 |
|
|
1212ha |
|
Rock, cliff, scarp |
99 |
203 |
338 |
|
|
42 |
160 |
|
|
|
Limestone |
133 |
613 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
746ha |
|
Silver tussock |
51 |
260 |
1069 |
|
|
|
120 |
470 |
1970ha |
|
Shrublands |
354 |
125 |
|
|
35 |
1050 |
216 |
645 |
2424ha |
|
Beech forest |
|
1432 |
1583 |
|
|
|
|
|
3015ha |
|
Broadleaf (coastal) |
266 |
|
|
|
20 |
|
|
|
286ha |
|
Broadleaf (inland) |
60 |
45 |
109 |
|
31 |
15 |
92 |
69 |
421ha |
|
Podocarp |
145 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
145 |
|
Treelands |
5 |
2 |
|
0.2 |
|
|
|
|
7.2 |
|
Subalpine shrublands |
|
123 |
325 |
|
|
|
|
|
448 |
|
Totals |
1340 |
4656 |
5274 |
269.2 |
152 |
4905 |
1165 |
3660 |
21420.2 |
The Follow up Protection Work - The Council's "Landowners Assistance Programme"
The Council has established this programme to provide encouragement and practical help to landowners interested in protecting significant natural areas on their properties. The programme includes both practical and financial help with work such as pest and weed control and fencing, and other support such as advice and information.
Funding for this work is available from both the Council and from central government's "Biodiversity fund" in recognition that valuing and protecting New Zealands biodiversity is an important issue that deserves public support when it falls on private landowners. So far about 20 protection projects have been instigated through the programme, including a mix of fencing, revegetation, weed control and wetland restoration. Depending on the funding package that is set up, the landowner contributes between 16% and 50% of the costs.
While the Council offers a funding coordination service, landowners can also apply independently to the Biodiversity Fund if that is their preference. http://www.biodiversity.govt.nz/land/nzbs/pvtland/conditionapps.html
Landowners interested in help from the Council to protect biodiversity can contact Nicky Eade or Ian Shapcott.
The Council also works closely with the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust (QEII)which is an independent organisation that assists landowners that want to formally protect their land through a covenant on the property title. QEII has a 25 year history of working successfully with landowners to protect a variety of important sites and landscapes. The local Nelson/Marlborough representative is Philip Lissaman - contact plissaman@xtra.co.nz Ph (03) 5403442. http://www.qe2.org.nz/
