For a hundred years or more, Napier’s landscape has undergone dramatic transformation. It did so significantly when the earthquakes of 1931 hit, but there have also been man-made changes, like changes in land use and land reclamation. In some places, areas that were once thriving wetlands or waterways have been drained or filled for development, reshaping the natural environment and reducing vital habitats. 

At the same time, communities and Council have been working to restore and protect these ecosystems. Over the years, many natural habitats – and the flora and fauna they supported – have been lost. These losses can be permanent and irreversible. We need to work together to protect, restore, and enhance what remains.

Learning from the past is important and this needs to be backed-up by tools that can help us implement those lessons consistently across our city and environs. Quite literally, we all need to be on the same page when it comes to protection of biodiversity and ecosystems in Napier. That ‘page’ is our District Plan, which has chapters that cover district-wide themes like environmental issues, as well as area-specific matters like where homes can be built. 

We are currently asking our community to specifically focus on the chapter of the Plan called ‘Ecosystems and Indigenous Biodiversity’ and to tell us whether they support or oppose what we’ve laid out there. 

We’ve chosen to take this step because it’s the right thing to do for our community and environment. It’s an opportunity to proactively put safeguards in place to protect some of the things that make Napier special. The District Plan is our shared vision where the council and community shape what we want for our city, our environment, and the plants, animals, and people that make their home here. 

We need to strike a balance between protecting the precious natural habitats we have left while encouraging restoration efforts to rebuild and enhance them. Embedding these protections into the rulebook means we’re ensuring generations ahead can experience and benefit from Napier’s rich biodiversity.

We want to make sure every part of the Plan reflects what our community needs and values, and your input will help us get it right. Every submission, no matter how small or how niche, is considered and responded to. We believe strongly in the importance of community voice so it’s an obvious decision to engage the community in this important piece of work. As elected representatives, we have a responsibility to protect areas of significance that contribute to biodiversity, and we’re committed to working with the community to achieve this. 

The District Plan affects everyone in Napier, with the biodiversity and ecosystems chapter having a significant impact on some, while also supporting citywide ecological health. There are many who will have no concept of the Plan or its powers, but most of us will value the importance of the environment.

The chapter sets out a tiered framework that ensures protection and management is in keeping with the ecological significance of an area. It also balances biodiversity conservation need with the practical realities of land use and development. Highest protection is given to Significant Vegetation or Habitat areas and moderate protection to Restoration Areas. Other areas have no restrictions or protection.

In some cases, specific properties are impacted by the District Plan and it’s important those property owners give us their views. In other cases, those working on the conservation of a particular bird, insect, reptile, plant or tree will have a vested interest. It’s important we hear from these people too.

The District Plan is a long-term, in-depth piece of work that is the focus of our policy team. To make it really valuable and useful it needs the voice of the people it affects. This round of submissions to the Plan, specifically the Biodiversity and Ecosystems Chapter, closes on 31 January. Submissions can be made through sayitnapier.nz.