I am very pleased to be here to launch the Biodiversity Strategy for the Canterbury Region. The Regional Council is to be congratulated for showing leadership in commencing this process in 2006. The strategy document graphically illustrates the scale of the challenge for the Canterbury region, and continued strong involvement by the many organisations which have participated to date, will be essential for full implementation. I am particularly pleased to see the strong commitment of the territorial local authorities in this region to biodiversity.

It is just under a year since my Government announced the National Priorities for Protecting Rare and Threatened Native Biodiversity on Private Land. It was the Government’s expectation that the statement of priorities would be used to support and inform councils’ biodiversity work under the Resource Management Act.

Private landowners have a critical role to play in saving New Zealand’s at risk native plants and animals. Many of our most threatened ecosystems and species are now only found on private land, or are critically dependent on habitats on private land. The statement of national priorities were developed to focus conservation efforts on private land where the need is greatest. It seeks to achieve this while also providing flexibility for local decision-making and approaches.

In developing the national priorities, however, we recognised that saving rare species is not the only reason for protecting biodiversity. Increasingly, our communities wish to experience their natural heritage on a daily basis, to restore landscapes, and to be involved in heritage management. The strategy reflects that broader approach, with a vision for biodiversity to be an integral part of the everyday lives and landscapes of Canterbury.

Biodiversity management at a regional level is not just about a small number of major protection actions, but about the thousands of small actions undertaken by individuals, iwi, community groups and local government decision-makers. Drawing all those activities into a meaningful whole is important. The Canterbury Strategy is an example of how this can be achieved in a cooperative and collaborative manner.

Ongoing dialogue between landowners, councils and other organisations involved in this process is essential if the critical issues facing the region are to be clearly understood and dealt with successfully. Our biodiversity provides important resources and services, such as clean air and water, fertile soils, manage pollution and flood control. This ongoing dialogue between parties with different roles, needs and perspectives on the common issues is essential to build a collective understanding of the critical issues facing your region, and to explore opportunities for solving them.

I am sure there were many robust discussions around the Strategy Advisory Group table as the Strategy took shape. It is pleasing to hear of the ongoing support for the implementation phase of the Strategy, with 19 stakeholder groups now having adopted the Strategy through a Charter of Adoption. It is also pleasing to see willingness of the Advisory Group to continue to be inclusive and involve those who have not yet adopted the Strategy. This level of communication and cooperation needs to continue if the hard work invested to date is to be capitalised on with positive outcomes being produced on the ground.

The Strategy document provides a vision for the region and then establishes a set of goals that will need to be achieved. Having graphically set out the state of the region’s biodiversity it then deals with Biodiversity and Climate Change and identifies the natural features that make Canterbury so special.

The Priority Areas for Action in the Strategy reflect the Government’s national priorities for biodiversity on private land and clearly identify where action and effort should be prioritised. These are in
• Environments where less than 20% of indigenous cover remains
• Environments where there are low levels of protection coupled with increasing threats to remaining indigenous habitats and ecosystems
• Habitats and ecosystems that are naturally rare or distinctive
• Habitats which support rare and threatened species.

I am heartened to see that these priorities have been picked up and translated into a practical action plan. You have many exciting habitats that are naturally rare or largely lost – wetlands, limestone areas, dunes, and so on. These areas are under pressure from land use change and the challenge is to see a halt in the loss of biodiversity in these environments. Freshwater biodiversity and the waterways that support it must not be ignored and I look forward to heightened action in this area as the document is implemented. That is a big challenge but one that must be faced and the Strategy, I hope, will play a central role in that process.

But I am also pleased to see that you haven’t stopped there, and also focus on the other important biodiversity elements that have suffered less past damage, but are no less precious. In particular, it is good to see the marine environment being recognised and addressed.

There will be a need for resources to deal with these challenges and collaboration will ensure the priority areas are targeted and minimise the duplication in effort. Since 2001 the Government has been assisting private landowners and Councils in the protection of indigenous biodiversity on private land. Nationally over the last 7 years the Government has invested over $18 million specifically in biodiversity protection on private land through the Biodiversity Funds.

Local government has also been active in designing a range of tools and mechanisms to support biodiversity and nationally approximately $4.26 million is invested in biodiversity by regional councils annually.

Locally the Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust has been doing an excellent job working collaboratively with landowners to fence and covenant areas of bush on Banks Peninsula and also work with the wider rural community on education and raising awareness.

The criteria for the Biodiversity Funds now incorporate the National Priorities and it is my expectation of the Chief Executives of both DOC and Mf E that funding allocations do reflect the national need. Since the Funds were established in 2001, $2.250 million has been invested in Canterbury Region. Of that $554,390 has been allocated to the Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust.

Today along with my colleague The Hon Trevor Mallard, Minister for the Environment I am announcing the funding allocations for Round 10 of the Biodiversity Advice and Condition Funds. In this round, 83 projects involving expenditure of $1,996,775 have been approved. Of this $221,736 has been allocated to Canterbury projects. Landowner and community contributions and in-kind services boost the amount spent on these biodiversity projects to over $4 million. It is particularly pleasing to see that one of the Canterbury projects involves building a 700 metre fence to protect two hectares of kanuka forest in North Canterbury.

I can also announce that the Regional Council was successful in obtaining funding for a Biodiversity Coordinator to work with the Strategy Advisory Group on the coordination and implementation of the Strategy.

Both Trevor and I look forward to receiving feedback on the progress in improving the state of Biodiversity in the Canterbury region through implementation of the priority actions in your strategy.

It is with pleasure that I now officially launch the Biodiversity Strategy for the Canterbury region.