Coastal Restoration Trust of New Zealand

Coastal Dune Ecosystem Reference Database

Updated guidelines for determining areas of significant indigenous vegetation and habitats of indigenous fauna in the Waikato region.

Author
Wildland Consultants
Journal / Source
Waikato Regional Council Technical Report 2023/03
Pages
66 pp.
Summary
Waikato Regional Council has a strategic objective to identify important areas of indigenous vegetation and habitats of indigenous fauna within the Waikato Region for biodiversity management to meet the requirements of Section 6c of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) (New Zealand Government 1991). Identification of Significant Natural Areas (SNAs) is the logical first step. This report provides guidelines for ecologists, planning agencies, and community groups to interpret the revised significance criteria present in the 2016 Waikato Regional Policy Statement. This report also aligns the interpretation of the significance criteria with the exposure draft of the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity (Ministry for the Environment, 2022) where possible. Guidance is also provided on assessing the relative significance of sites (International, National, Regional, or Local) to prioritise management once an area has been identified as being significant. Useful definitions and references are provided.