How to Change the World. Clare Feeney

2001, the then Auckland Regional Council released a riparian management strategy⁴² that acknowledged the adverse impacts of land development and farming on the region’s streams. The Strategy aims to address land ownership problems by promoting voluntary measures, including community-based initiatives, and by providing support and information to encourage rather than require riparian zone restoration, protection or enhancement, while using mandatory options when converting land for more intensive developments. It was accompanied by a detailed Guideline and Planting Guide.

      Rather than setting a numerical goal for regional coverage of riparian areas, the Strategy highlighted areas most likely to deliver beneficial terrestrial and aquatic outcomes in the following major land use categories:

      

rural areas

      

greenfield developments

      

existing urban areas

      

regional and other parks.

      Within each of these areas, the Strategy’s goal was to:

      

retain existing riparian zones in good condition

      

enhance existing riparian zones in poor condition

      

restore riparian zones where they do not currently exist.

      It also aimed to improve public understanding of the importance of riparian vegetation in watershed ecosystems, and, coupled with well-defined goals and environmental values, to lead to a widespread acceptance of riparian zone management as a good tool for integrated watershed management. It encouraged a wide range of land owners and/or community interests to form or join Land Care groups or watershed associations and take part in riparian activities in their neighbourhood.

      While it also included some policy and regulatory approaches, the Strategy supported voluntary activities by a wide range of groups, including:

      

individual land owners

      

the indigenous Māori people

      

native plant nursery managers

      

individuals known to have an interest in riparian management

      

land developers

      

surveyors, earthworks and fencing contractors, landscape architects, planners, engineers and other environmental professionals

      

environmental protection and other community groups

      

planning and regulatory staff in the then Auckland Regional Council and the region’s seven city and district councils (now all amalgamated into the Auckland Council).

      The Council offered training workshops on an as-required basis to such interested parties, and this training now falls under the aegis of the new Auckland Council.

      Trainees are given a free copy of the Strategy, Guideline and Planting Guide, as well as a practical workbook. They are encouraged to bring along maps and photos of their own property for discussion. They visit a stream that is suitable for riparian restoration, where they draw a stream bank profile, refer to the Planting Guide to select plants that are suitable for the different riparian zones, and draw up a planting plan and map to present to the other attendees for helpful feedback.

      For those attending, support to fulfil their riparian restoration vision was available through the Council’s Environmental Initiatives Fund (EIF). Many attendees applied for EIF funding and it was an important mechanism for implementing the Council’s riparian strategy on the ground: a significant proportion of EIF grants were for riparian fencing and planting. As ecologist Shona Myers, one of the Council trainers, pointed out, this reinforces the fact that the best training is part of a full policy package.

      The great thing about this project was that it built capacity in two important areas:

      

the Council staff who were delivering the training workshops

      

the people who attended them.