Greenway Canterbury

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The essence of the concept grew from a group of like-minded people including the Concept Working Group and other interested people. As well as scoping the concept, it is hoped that this document will be a useful basis for discussion.

The vision is a Greenway - a network of patches and corridors of native vegetation - spanning the Plains from the Mountains to the Sea, re-created by the people who live here for the benefit of all and future generations.

Over the last few years there has been a growing interest in native plants and the restoration and conservation of native plant communities. The evidence for this interest comes from increased sales from local nurseries and from research being undertaken by individuals. This growing interest in native plants comes not only from restoration projects but also from the landscaping value and functional value of native plants.

One response to this has been the publication of a guide to the use of native plants for shelter and hedges in Canterbury. This was a joint project between the Isaac Centre for Nature Conservation, Landcare Research and Environment Canterbury. More recently the publication Native Plant Communities of the Canterbury Plains has been published by the Department of Conservation. This was another joint project and stands as a memorial to the late Katherine Carmen.

There is a growing interest in native plants. Also there is a vast array of resources and expertise about native plants. However, access to resources and expertise could be improved. The idea for this concept grew from this observation. There seemed to be a need to establish some kind of process or structure that could give advice and perhaps even help to broker and simplify access to resources for anyone with an interest in native plants.

Having observed the Greenway concept in other countries, it seemed to make sense to focus efforts on one geographical area. This also made sense from a biogeographical point of view. It is good to see native plants being used in different locations but more could be achieved if efforts focused on a Greenway concept and in the long-term helped to provide a more continuous network of native plants across a working landscape. Such is the Greenway model that is seen overseas.

A physical entity for the concept has therefore developed around the areas across the Canterbury Plains, bounded by the Waimakariri and the Rakaia Rivers. Across this working landscape there are many existing native plant projects. With voluntary support form private land owner it may be possible to link some of these projects.

For the time being, the concept is housed within the Isaac Centre for Nature Conservation, because the Centre has taken on other similar concepts. However, it has always been recognised that if this were to become a reality, it would have to have ownership by local people. Later there may be a role for a formal structure to help coordinate the native plant projects. Such a body could provide:

• Coordination and networking
• A brokering service for resources
• Inventories of projects
• Advice, information and expertise.

As a basis for discussion the name Te Ara Kākāriki Greenway Canterbury has been suggested. it is also suggested that the focus is on the Selwyn District (between the Waimakariri and Rakaia rivers). The long-term aim would be for advice, support and resources to be made available to local communities to create, in a working and productive landscape, a wildlife network or Greenway. This could be a useful step in maintaining the sustainable use of nature and ecosystems in this region.

Te Ara Kākāriki Greenway Canterbury could provide solutions for different aspects of environmental issues by concentrating on the voluntary establishment of native ecosystems on private and public land. This could be achieved by using otherwise unused or less productive linear features, such as fence-lines, roadsides and waterways to enhance native plants and other wildlife. This could mitigate negative environmental impacts, and complement productive land use. These restored or enhanced areas may also contribute ecosystem services and enhance natural capital.

The essence of the concept is voluntary restoration of native wildlife and native wildlife communities across the Canterbury Plains in the land between two mighty rivers, the Waimakariri and the Rakaia. It is hoped that this would be a collective and community-wide concept designed to give something back to nature and to restore native plants and animals on private and public land. This could be a celebration of our natural heritage.

This is about fostering interest and enthusiasm and finding the resources for restoring New Zealand's native plant communities and associated wildlife into these working lowland landscapes. It could be about establishing some of our natural heritage and natural ecosystems, while enhancing the cultural and economic values of individuals and communities and the linkages between them all.

A key indicator of success would be the creation of a network enabling wildlife such as kākāriki and tui to freely move between habitat on the Plains from the Southern Alps to Banks Peninsula and the Coast.

The proposal will produce a framework to assist existing and emerging community efforts. It is anticipated that the primary tasks will be to provide and facilitate networking, coordination, promotion and guidance services for native vegetation and revegetation projects.

Te Ara Kākāriki is a long-term vision, perhaps hundreds of years, spanning generations.

The clean green image?

This concept may help to enhance the clean green image by way of establishment of more native plant and wildlife communities. International pressure is growing on all sectors of the food and fibre industries to avoid, remedy and mitigate the environmental impacts of production. This concept can directly address these concerns and contribute to meeting the requirements of the various environmental and certification assessment systems associated with these industries.

Supporting landowners to restore native communities

Landowners now have greater opportunities to form partnerships with organisations and government agencies to restore native plant communities and wildlife into the working landscape.

Our natural heritage

New Zealand has many unique native plants not found anywhere else in the world. New Zealanders are increasingly aware and proud of the fact and we should promote New Zealand by way of its native plants and native plant communities.

The suitability of native plants

There is a common belief that native plants are difficult to grow. This belief may have emerged during the time when the need for shelter on the Canterbury Plains was first being addressed. By way of contrast, native plants that have evolved to grow in a particular area are generally easy to grow. Many species are suitable for hedges and for shelterbelts.

Native plants attract and nurture native wildlife

Travel around the Canterbury Plains and you will see mostly exotic birds. Native hedges and native shelterbelts may not bring back the native birds by a series of patches of native plants and a patchwork across a Greenway would help the Kākāriki, Tui and other native birds to return to the Canterbury Plains.

Amenity values and tourism

The amenity value of the landscape would increase following the restoration of native plants. The proposed Greenway could become an attractive feature of Canterbury that would bring economic benefits to the region.

Carbon sequestration

Plants absorb carbon dioxide as they grow and store it as carbon. Carbon dioxide is also emitted by our use of fossil fuel. There is a growing interest in the establishment of forests as carbon sinks. Managers of Australian pension funds and policy advisers from Europe have been looking to New Zealand as a location for carbon sink forests. Restoring native forests has additional benefits over exotic plantations because of the immediate and ongoing increase in indigenous biodiversity.

Social benefits

Taking part in local community planting projects would help to bring about a sense of belonging and ownership and provide an opportunity for social interaction.

Coordinated plant restoration projects

Conservation and plant restoration projects can be undertaken almost anywhere. There are increasing efforts by private landowners to establish native plant restoration projects. The Greenway concept could provide benefits by way of coordination, communication and cooperation.

Satisfying the growing need for resources

There is a growing interest and demand for native plants. This concept could help to identify resources to meet the increasing demands.

Research and other opportunities

This concept could provide numerous research and commercial opportunities that could be replicated or adapted to other regions around New Zealand.

The following are some proposed objectives for the next phase of consultation and development of the idea:

• Discussion with communities and individuals
• Engage private landowner support
• Seek support from regional and local government and NGOs.
  

If support was forthcoming, it may be necessary to establish some kind of coordination structure. For the time being, this concept is being coordinated from the Isaac Centre for Nature Conservation. Resources for native plantings would be sought from various organisations including government incentives for private landowners. Resources and support would be sought from road and rail authorities and industry and tourism authorities. It would be important to build and maintain databases for effective networking.

This concept may include research. The opportunities for research will be made known to potential research students. Later, the lessons learnt from the research could be applied elsewhere in New Zealand.

A co-ordinator has been appointed to assist with the next steps, particularly the 'Green Dot Project.'

Ian Spellerberg
Isaac Centre for Nature Conservation
For and on behalf of those who have contributed to the discussions about this concept.
4th October 2005.