Download Summary of Stakeholder (CWMOS) Content for Steering Group at 03

Summary of Stakeholder (CWMOS) Content February 2009
BIODIVERSITY
Overview:
1) The theme of ‘biodiversity’ covers everything living but non-human (human interests
being captured under all other themes)
2) Items relating to the theme of biodiversity are closely linked with ideas relating to
environmental flows/levels and the natural character of water bodies/systems due to
a persistent focus on ecosystems, and the holistic, interconnected nature of
biodiversity and non-biotic habitat, water quality, flows, levels, natural non-biotic
processes etc
Stakeholder Sub-themes:
1) stakeholders have categorised/identified their statements about biodiversity in a
number of different ways:
a) entirely generic comments about ‘biodiversity’ (no further detail provided, very
common)
b) comments about ecosystems (biodiversity and non-biotic habitat as one –
also very common); sometimes specific to particular locations/water bodies
c) comments about types of ecosystem (biodiversity and non-biotic habitat as
one) – coastal (salt water), braided river, wetlands, groundwater/aquifers etc
d) comments about migratory species and passage through catchments (rare
but occasional)
e) comments about ‘instream’ biodiversity (generally appearing to cover all
‘aquatic’ biodiversity, including lake/ocean/aquifer dwelling species etc
though nature of water body generally unspecified)
f) comments about terrestrial biodiversity
g) comments about particular kingdoms (flora/fauna)
h) comments about particular phyla (mammals, birds, fish, invertebrates)
i) comments about specific species (rare but occasional)
j) comments about indigenous/non-indigenous phyla
k) comments about domesticated biodiversity (pets, stock, crops, variability of
farm practices etc)
l) comments about game species (for hunting, fishing etc)
2) population management:
a) management of adult population
b) management of juvenile population
c) management of spawning areas
d) management of migratory species and migratory passage
e) protection of species against predation
f) management of introduced species’ populations and threat to indigenous
biodiversity
3) habitat/ecosystem management:
a) management of geophysical habitat
b) management of migratory passages, where relevant
c) management of environmental flows/levels – magnitude and variability
d) management of water temperatures
e) management of water quality, especially sediment and nutrient levels
f) management of non-biotic regulating processes, eg. flushing flows, rainfall,
soil moisture re-charge
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g) management of other species within the ecosystem (eg. flora/fauna
relationships, fauna/fauna relationships)
h) management of habitat on public land
i) management of habitat on private land
j) the creation of Protected Natural Areas (PNAs)
k) the creation of Water Conservation Orders (WCOs)
l) the granting of World Heritage status
4) educational measures and initiatives:
a) mandatory training/certification attached to consent conditions
b) enviroschools and other secondary and tertiary initiatives
c) education of the wider community, including the adult community (rural and
urban)
d) education of the primary production sector
e) research into related areas
f) distribution of information on related areas
5) trading schemes, biodiversity credits and incentives:
a) creation of a ‘biodiversity’ market with a credit-trading scheme similar to the
market for carbon credit
b) mandatory requirements for developers of every kind to off-set
environmentally detrimental activities with measures for the enhancement of
biodiversity, also under a comparable biodiversity ‘credit’ type scheme
6) on-farm indigenous biodiversity initiatives:
a) regeneration/restoration of some natural areas, shelter belts, indigenous
plantings/habitats etc
b) riparian management with a focus on indigenous biodiversity
7) management of domesticated biodiversity:
a) recreational and social activities/opportunities for pets and their owners
b) diversity of farmed species as a region
c) rotation/variation of farmed species for a single property
d) shifts from arable farming ventures to intensive dairying
8) management of biodiversity for recreational/social enjoyment:
a) management of game species for fishing, hunting etc
b) management of aesthetic species for botanical studies, bird watching etc
c) management of all species for contribution to aesthetic surrounds, ambience
etc
9) management of species for cultural enjoyment:
a) management of indigenous species
b) management of species which are traditional, cultural food sources, eg. eels,
shellfish
c) management of the intrinsic values of culturally valued species
d) protection of indigenous species from predation/out-competition by
introduced species
10) edible biodiversity:
a) management of wild species for consumption, eg. eels, shellfish, fish, game
b) management of domesticated species for consumption, eg. sheep, cows,
dairy produce, poultry, eggs, crops etc
c) genetic modification of edible biodiversity
11) management of biotic processes:
a) use of bio-filters and biotic treatment options for water quality and waste
management
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b) use of organisms to process nutrients, produce biofuels, food inputs for
higher organisms etc
c) use of algal technology in hydrogenation
12) management of pests:
a) management of weeds and vegetation encroachment
b) management of didymo and other algae
c) management of water-borne diseases and faecal coliforms
d) management of terrestrial weed species
e) management of predatory or destructive introduced species
13) infrastructure and governance:
a) creation of a separate institution (or branch within the regional council) for
biodiversity preservation, restoration and enhancement
b) creation/adoption of national and regional biodiversity policy
c) role of voluntary organisations such as Forest and Bird
d) role of recreational organisations such as Fish and Game
Recurring Stakeholder Perspectives:
1) there is a very strong and widespread sentiment that full preservation of the status
quo is a minimum threshold, and that no further loss of biodiversity, habitat, natural
systems etc should be permissible in light of the losses which have already occurred
and the sacrifices already made in favour of human developments. A minority of
stakeholders are content with the concept of ‘mitigating’ measures being included in
development proposals to protect the status quo, or to limit further loss of biodiversity
beyond the status quo
2) within the themes relating to biodiversity, natural character of water bodies/systems,
and environmental flows and levels, there is therefore a very strong stakeholder
emphasis on the restoration and enhancement of existing biodiversity ‘remnants’ and
of currently degraded or depleted systems. Once again, a minority of stakeholders
are content with the concept of ‘mitigating’ measures being included in development
proposals to protect the status quo, or to limit further loss of environmental values
beyond the status quo
3) the stakeholder emphasis on restoration includes initiatives to restore and enhance
biodiversity, particularly indigenous biodiversity, both on public land and on privately
owned and managed land. The significant role played by property owners and
managers is acknowledged
4) there is a strong emphasis on population management of species
5) there is also a strong emphasis on wider ecosystem management of complete
habitat/species/processes systems.
6) the presence of thriving biodiversity is widely perceived as essential to human
enjoyment of natural areas and experiences (including social, cultural and spiritual
enjoyment)
7) the presence of certain species of biodiversity is acknowledged as essential to certain
forms of human recreation or tourism (eg. fishing, bird watching, hunting)
8) the presence of certain species of indigenous biodiversity are noted as essential to
the cultural and spiritual integrity of the Canterbury environment
9) the presence of each species is widely argued to be essential to the preservation of
all (food chains, ecosystem functions etc) – including humans
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10) it is widely argued that many species serve a natural, regulatory function of some
kind, and also that many abiotic processes (such as flushing flows in rivers) are
essential to the maintenance of biotic systems
11) it is widely argued that the nature of certain species’ habitat is fundamental to their
survival, for example isolated the braids/islands in braided river beds, the presence of
viable nesting sites on lake shores, or the safety and seclusion of side-streams and
pools in larger river systems
12) there is very vigorous opposition to infrastructure developments which could
potentially disrupt, obstruct or otherwise disturb natural ecosystems, species or biotic
processes
13) there is significant stakeholder interest in possibilities for further education and
certification initiatives, and for making education about biodiversity a prerequisite to
the granting of any resource consent
14) there is significant stakeholder interest in the concepts of biodiversity offsets and
credits and a biodiversity market for the production and export industries (and
presumably others).
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