Canterbury’s resources in big survey

Press, 1 March 1984, Page 2

Canterbury’s resources in big survey

A 329-page report released by the Canterbury United Council yesterday provides a comprehensive survey of the region’s natural resources and guidelines for their management in the one document for the first time. “Natural Resources of the Canterbury Region — A Survey and Evaluation for Management” was commissioned by the United Council and compiled by a Ministry of Works and Development study team during the last two years using existing and new information. It is a technical document intended mainly for use by planning authorities, but is expected to be of interest to a wide range of local authorities, groups concerned with natural resources, and educational institutions. It assesses the region’s natural resources and the importance of them, and identifies sensitive or vulnerable elements of them so that planning decisions can be made in the full knowledge of the possible consequences of certain actions.

The report covers the United Council’s area as well as the Upper Rakaia River Catchment and falls into three main parts, examining the resources under eight headings: geology, climate, surface hydrology, groundwater hydrology, soils, vegetation and wildlife, historical resources, and visual landscapes. The first part contains introductory and explanatory notes as well as a brief overview of the natural environment, while a detailed description of the resources and the implications of certain activities or changes are contained in the main part of the report. The third section contains guidelines for the management of the resources. It does not contain directions on what should and should

not be done, but points out the consequences of certain actions and ways to minimise any adverse effects of developmental decisions. Mr Alec Wilson, who led the study team, said that the guidelines were intended as a warning. As far as he was aware, such a comprehensive document had not been prepared before and the Ministry of Works and Development was treating it as a case study which could be repeated in other regions.

He said that the difficulty of getting all the necessary information about natural resources together to be able to consider and balance options and effects had been one of the main problems faced by planners. The United Council’s director of planning, Mr G. C. Miller, said that the report was important because before planning policies could be formulated the planner had to know what he or she was planning for.

The total cost of preparing it was not known, but the United Council has paid $BOOO for the printing of 400 copies. Many will be distributed to local authorities, and others can be bought from the United Council for $4O.

A report on the mining and quarrying resources in the Canterbury region was also tabled at yesterday’s regional planning committee meeting. The report was prepared by the United Council in close consultation with the New Zealand Geological Survey and the Ministry of Energy. It contains a description of the resources, their present and likely future contribution to regional economic development, and indicates the type of provision that should be included in the regional scheme to provide for the development and conservation of mineral resources.