"All urban centres should be aiming for 10 per cent indigenous ecosystem - once it gets below that, it gets out of proportion and you see loss of representation of species in the region."
Both Hastings and Napier were well below the 10 per cent range, but the cities' councils were taking steps to improve this statistic.
Overarching their efforts was the Hawke's Bay Regional Council Biodiversity Action Plan 2017-2020, due to be launched in February this year, which both Hastings district and Napier city councils were involved in, and which fed into the Hawke's Bay Biodiversity Strategy 2015-2050.
The action plan outlined the key objectives for the next three years: To sustain, protect and improve native habitats and species, to recognise indigenous biodiversity as a taonga to be protected for future generations, and to collaborate and support education, community engagement and care for the environment.
In terms of urban biodiversity, the Hastings District Council had identified sites requiring extra protection of indigenous vegetation and biodiversity areas in its proposed district plan.
As well as rural areas, such as special zoning to recognise the nature reserve at Cape Kidnappers, the plan also provided for the taking of esplanade reserves on certain streams and rivers when subdivided.
Parks and properties manager Colin Hosford said that when new plantings were required for parks or streets, weight was always given to including natives, however other factors including growth habit and suitability for the area and climate also had to be considered.
This had resulted in natives being used recently in some suburban streets, such as rata planted on Karamu Rd and titoki in Copeland Rd.
Roundabouts and side road plantings in Longlands, York Rd and Paki Paki were exclusively native, as was the new planting at the WLR roundabout.
"Traditionally residents were asked for their preference for street trees, and that often resulted in the planting of exotics.
"That policy was modified two years ago, which gives greater freedom for the consideration of native trees."
Mr Hosford said there was much greater scope for increasing native plantings in parks and reserves, and these were used at every opportunity, such as the extensive, almost exclusively native plantings at Waimarama and Waipatiki.
In the Cape Coast Reserve Management plan issued in May last year, the Hastings council identified 10 reserves in Haumoana, Te Awanga and Clifton that would be enhanced in terms of both recreation and biodiversity.
These reserves contained a variety of ecosystems and natural habitats that were unique to the area, and their enhancement was important to raise awareness of the vast loss of indigenous biodiversity due to agricultural and urban development, the plan said.
"Reserves in the Cape Coast could provide valuable contact, with wildlife easily accessible to surrounding residents and visitors.
"Podocarp/hardwood forests are a mixture of tall podocarps, smaller trees (hardwoods) with an understorey of shrubs, plants and ferns. Totara trees grow closest to the coast, on almost pure sand.
"As the soil nutrient levels increase, matai will grow. With more nutrients rimu and miro will come into the forest. On the wetter sites kahikatea grows best.
"Because of the abundant range of fruits, podocarp forests also support larger communities of insects and birds such as bellbird and tuï. Closer to the ocean native smaller hardwood trees, herbaceous and wetland plants need to be re-established."
Alongside this work, pest control work done closely with the Hawke's Bay Regional Council was continuing.
At Napier City Council, the code of practice required roadside trees and reserves to mitigate the adverse effects of urban subdivision, said council manager city development Pauline Wilhelm.
This meant that all landscaping required in new subdivisions had to be designed by a suitably qualified person, she said.
One long-standing programme which contributed to the principles of the biodiversity strategy was the ongoing pest control programme, which Napier council conducted in collaboration with the regional council, said team leader parks, reserves and sportsgrounds Debra Stewart.
"There is evidence the programme, primarily possum control and run in areas such as Napier Hill and Park Island, has significantly increased the chances of both native and introduced birdlife being able to reside in these areas."
In addition, annual planting programmes saw thousands of trees planted every year, with a growing emphasis on natives, and plans for enhancing streams with riparian planting.
Reserves which had been replanted over the past 24 years include Otatara Park, Harakeke and Westshore Reserves, and Halliwell Reserve. The council had replanted Dolbel Reserve in collaboration with Taradale Rotary Club over 27 years.
Through parks officer Jason Tickner, the council was also involved with the People, Cities, Nature research programme, which involved setting up permanent vegetation survey plots in selected sites.
Intended to be urban versions of national vegetation survey plots, they would be measured repeatedly over many years to capture insights into how restoration was working within an urban environment, and were due to be set up early this year.
