As you may be aware Rotorua Lakes Council (RLC) has been working through a project identifying significant natural areas in the district and we understand part of your property has been identified as a Significant Natural Area (SNA).
Many of these sites have been identified using desktop analysis and aerial imagery, with very few being ground-truthed to assess the accuracy of this data. Federated Farmers is fully behind protecting sites which contain significant biodiversity, so we believe it’s really important that the identification process is done right from the start.
There are some highly restrictive land use controls, including, vegetation disturbance, earthworks for track or fencing infrastructure, buildings and grazing limitations which will apply to these areas and so we urge you to engage in this planning process with us. Federated Farmers works with councils to ensure the impacts of their rules do not control farming activities unnecessarily and that they include robust consideration of the social and economic effects with the desired environmental outcomes.
We’re seeking feedback on Council’s process;
- Have you been contacted directly to discuss the proposed plans for your property?
- Have they offered you clear and effective opportunities to get in touch and ask questions?
- Have they explained the proposed rules that relate to these areas?
The deadline to make a submission closed on August 30th if you missed the opportunity to raise your concerns or issues with Council, don’t worry Federated Farmers lodged a comprehensive submission on behalf of our members, its not to late to join us to help Council get it right, for you.
Call us to talk to our Senior Policy Advisor, Hilary Walker for more information. We can also provide a helpful factsheet on SNAs, a summary of the proposed rules and keep you updated on progress and news.