Stratford District Council reviews district plan

STRATFORD District Council has reviewed its district plan in a bid to protect significant forests, wildlife habitats and wetlands.
Planning and Regulatory Manager Mike Avery said the review is to make sure areas of significance are being used appropriately, so that they will continue to be there for future generations.
The resulting proposals recommend a number of changes to the way in which wetlands, indigenous vegetation and indigenous fauna are managed.
These changes include: a widened policy scope to include significant indigenous fauna; a schedule of wetlands and significant habitats of indigenous fauna; rules and widened standards protecting wetlands and significant habitats of indigenous fauna and a new set of rules allowing for protection of indigenous vegetation.
Unless an area has already been identified as being significant, landowners will be able to clear native vegetation if it is less than three metres in height or in certain limited circumstances, generally for essential services to be maintained.
Land use consents will be required before any native vegetation over 3m in height is disturbed and these will also require ecological assessments. Native vegetation which is either on the ring plain, adjacent to a river or wetland, or is in a known significant area is also protected under the proposed rules.
Mr Avery says, "The need to protect these areas must be balanced against the economic needs of the district and especially those people who own or manage the land. The Council has now put out its proposals for consultation and wants to know if it has got the balance right."
The new requirements relating to sustainable forest management plans and permits, granted through the Ministry of Forestry, will have a direct effect on the management of the eastern hill country forest. These will require land use consents from the Council and ecological assessments in addition to the Ministry of Forestry approvals.
"Almost half of the land area in the Stratford District is native bush. The eastern hill country in particular is recognized nationally as being important in being able to support our native birds" says Mr. Avery.
With the review affecting 45% of the land area of the Stratford District, it is important that landowners are aware of the proposals and make their own views known to the Council
Submissions will be accepted up until October 6, 2010. All submissions must be in writing either to the Stratford District Council, P O Box 320, Stratford or by email to mavery@stratford.govt.nz.
The details of the proposals can be read either on the Stratford District Council website, www.stratford.govt.nz,  or at the council offices and library.