Two related projects are underway:
The Council administers 155 parks, reserves and open space areas within Moutere-Waimea Ward. Not all of these are formally protected as reserves under the Reserves Act 1977 (the Act) and many of the existing reserves have never been formally classified under the Act. We need to classify existing reserves before publicly notifying a draft Moutere-Waimea Ward Reserve Management Plan.
The classification of a reserve determines its main purpose. Reserve Management Plans set out how parks and reserves are used and managed. Both tasks are requirements of the Reserves Act 1977. We review management plans from time-to-time to make sure reserves are efficiently and appropriately managed.
There are three opportunities to have your say on these projects:
Council administers 155 parks, reserves and open space areas within Moutere-Waimea Ward.
Management policies for these areas are set out in the Moutere-Waimea Ward Reserve Management Plan (RMP). Council's Reserve General Policies document also applies. The current RMP was adopted by Council in 2000, and is overdue for review.
Not all of these 155 areas are formally protected as reserves under the Reserves Act 1977 (the Act) and only a few of the existing reserves are formally classified under the Act.
We need to classify existing reserves before publicly notifying a draft Moutere-Waimea Ward Reserve Management Plan.
Our Moutere-Waimea Ward reserves projects will follow these steps:
Over the summer of 2019/2020 we sought your ideas, for inclusion in a Draft Moutere-Waimea Ward Reserve Management Plan. This initial consultation round ended on 31 March 2020.
We asked you to tell us which reserves you use regularly, what you value most about them, and any changes you would like to see to the way they are used or managed. We also created a survey to assist with the collation of your ideas and suggestions.
One example of a specific topic that we asked for your input on was the use of space in the Wakefield Recreation Reserve. This reserve has recently increased in size, with Council's purchase of land between the existing sportsfields and Baigent Memorial Scenic Reserve. Staff prepared an indicative concept plan showing a possible layout of the facilities and uses of this reserve (see map below). We asked for your feedback on both the proposed uses and layout for this area.
Click here to open a bigger version of the map.
Your next opportunity to participate in this project will be when a Draft Plan is publicly notified. We anticipate this is likely to happen in December 2020. You will have two months to send us your submission on the Draft Plan.
As part of Council's 'Native Habitats Tasman' project, ecological assessment reports have been undertaken for parks and reserves in the Moutere-Waimea Ward.
Where a park or reserve contains remnant native habitat or wildlife values, an ecologist has visited the site and assessed its significance. These reports are available for download below.
The number alongside each report refers to the relevant Moutere-Waimea Ward reserves map number.
The first reserve management plan for Moutere-Waimea Ward was adopted in 2000. It is recommended that plans are reviewed at least once every 10 years, meaning this plan was well overdue for review.
All types of reserves (except Local Purpose reserves) under the control of, or vested in, an administering body must be covered by an approved management plan, under s41 of the Reserves Act 1977.
Council resolved to prepare a single Reserve Management Plan, covering all Council-administered parks and reserves located within Moutere-Waimea Ward. Many of the 155 areas to be included in the draft RMP are reserves (i.e. formally protected under the Reserves Act), while others are administered as part of Council’s open space network, but not formally protected under the Act. Management guidance for all 155 areas will be included within the draft Moutere-Waimea Ward Reserve Management Plan.
The Reserves Act 1977 requires (s 41(3)) that a management plan "provide for and ensure" the following:
Management planning is intended to enable the administering body to establish the desired mix of use and protection for each reserve or group of reserves and set in place policy to guide day to day management. Determining community preferences, and establishing the best means to provide for them are essential ingredients for good management planning.
A management plan provides the community with certainty about the function and management of each reserve or grouping. A management plan also provides the administering body with efficiency gains in management of the reserve, by allowing exemptions from public notification in certain cases.
An administering body is required to keep the management plan(s) over reserve(s) for which it responsible under continuous review (s 41(4)). The intention is that the plan be adapted to changing circumstances or increased knowledge. Generally, plans should be reviewed at a minimum of 10 year intervals.
Please note that the guidance document that opens from this link has not been updated for a number of years. It does not accurately reflect the 2013 delegations from the Minister of Conservation to local authorities who administer Crown-owned reserve land. However, it still provides useful general guidance for management of reserves.
