Outcome Four: Communities
Ngā Hapori
Our communities are low emission and climate resilient | He tukuwaro-iti, he āhuarangi manaroa hoki ō mātou hapori
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Key
2022-2025Year of deliveryAdaptationMitigationBiodiversity and sequestrationWe support the development of thriving, climate resilient communities4.1
Identify any risks to the culturally significant Wāhi Tūpuna and heritage sites across the district arising from the effects of climate change.
UPDATEUpdate
1 December 2024QLDC has an enduring partnership with Kāi Tahu to proactively identify risks to the culturally significant Wāhi Tūpuna and heritage sites across the district, and ensure that appropriate mitigation and protective controls are in place. Opportunities to advance the understanding of potential climate change impacts are being investigated.
2022-20254.2
Undertake a study of the socio-economic and community wellbeing implications of climate change for the district, to help support future planning around climate adaptation and an equitable transition for all members of our community.
UPDATEUpdate
1 December 2024Background research has commenced into the socio-economic and community well-being implications of climate change. Opportunities to commence a local study in collaboration with health partners is being investigated for 2025.
2024-20254.3
Promote community-led initiatives and energy sector partnerships to implement resilient, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions.
UPDATEUpdate
1 December 2024Council is in discussions with a number of organisations, such as Rewiring Aotearoa, who are focused on supporting community-led energy solutions. Opportunities for partnerships and pilot projects are being explored. Council has also supported Are Ake ( New Zealand's Future Energy Centre) to run a Flexibility Challenge: Solutions Workshop for the district on 30th October. The workshop was focused on identifying opportunities for demand response or load reduction/shifting initiatives that could help to reduce the peak loading on the districts electricity network. Although primarily focused on commercial scale demand response initiatives, the workshop also involved a focus on the opportunities for innovation in the residential sector.
2023-20254.4
Continue the development of a Community Response Group network across the district. Provide training, resources, planning support and promotion to ensure these groups have the necessary capability and capacity to support their local community during emergency events.
UPDATEUpdate
1 December 2024QLDC continues to work closely with Emergency Management Otago to build the capability and capacity of the local Community Response Group network and to support education and community resilience development across the district.
Emergency Management Otago have recently published a new Otago Community Resilience Strategy. The Strategy presents a model for the development of community response capability.
In July and August, caches of over $40,000 in emergency equipment were also distributed to a number of Community Response Groups across the district. Included within the cache of equipment were generators, solar eco-flow batteries, lighting equipment, heaters, whiteboards, first aid kits and large gear boxes. This equipment will add to the VHF radio equipment that was purchased in the last financial year.2022-20254.5
Build capacity, resourcing and relationship networks across the social services and health sector, to ensure that the welfare of our communities can be effectively supported during emergency events or periods of prolonged stress.
UPDATEUpdate
1 December 2024A Lakes District Health Emergency Sector Group has been established with representation from all local health organisations, Emergency Management Otago and QLDC. The focus of the group is on building relationships across the local health sector and to undertake multi-agency response planning for major emergency events. Inputs from national level planning scenarios are being reviewed with a focus on ensuring that the local health district is prepared to deliver a well-coordinated, multi-agency response to any major health related event.
2022-20254.6
Support our communities to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change through community-centric climate adaptation projects. Key locations will include:
2022-20254.6a
Wildfire risk on Mt Iron, Ben Lomond and other “red zone” locations.
UPDATEUpdate
1 December 2024QLDC has committed to a Wildfire Risk Reduction programme across Council reserves. This includes a wildfire treat analysis to identify high risk reserves, a reserve closure plan that has been launched in December 2023 and a new environmental monitoring network that was launched in early 2024. Work has been underway in the lead up to the 2024-25 summer between Council, FENZ and reserve stakeholders to identify opportunities to reduce risk, improve readiness and response capability.
For further information go to https://www.qldc.govt.nz/community/managing-the-risk-of-wildfire2022-20254.6b
Gorge Road Alluvial Fan risk.
UPDATEUpdate
1 December 2024The QLDC Resilience & Climate Action team are supporting the Gorge Road Natural Hazards project and have been actively involved in the response and recovery to the September 2023 storm event which impacted the Reavers catchment. Learnings from the recovery programme as well as advances in the monitoring capability of the new environmental sensor network will support the next phase of the natural hazard programme.
Background information on the project can be found here https://letstalk.qldc.govt.nz/brewery-creek-and-reavers-lane-natural-hazard-review
2022-20254.6c
Glenorchy Head of the Lake natural hazard risk (Otago Regional Council-led).
UPDATEUpdate
4 December 2024QLDC continues to work closely with ORC's Natural Hazards team in the delivery of the Head of the Lake Natural Hazards programme. On 10 & 11 September a community presentation and drop in session was run to present the latest reports on Risk Assessment and the Rees and Dart rivers floodplain mitigation options. As a programme partner QLDC was invited to contribute technical input and feedback into each of these studies. The Head of Lake Whakatipu Natural Hazards Adaptation Strategy has been prepared by ORC will be presented at their Council meeting on 4 December to seek approval for release for public consultation. Updates on this programme of work can be found here: https://www.orc.govt.nz/managing-our-environment/natural-hazards/head-of-lake-whakatipu
2022-2025We grow a resilient and low carbon local food system4.7
Launch a Queenstown Lakes Food Network that brings together community stakeholders to develop a shared vision of a resilient, low carbon and regenerative local food system.
UPDATEUpdate
1 December 2024QLDC has partnered with Wao Aotearoa to deliver the Queenstown Lakes Food Resilience Project. Phase one of this project (4.7) involved a wide range of stakeholder meetings and interviews to develop the Food Resilience Report (https://www.wao.co.nz/food-resilience).
This report collates a wide range of information sources around the history of our local food system as well as its current vulnerabilities, strengths and opportunities. A hui of local food system stakeholders was conducted in May 2023 to share the report and set the foundation for the launch of the Queenstown Lakes Food Resilience Network, which will be progress under Phase two of the project. The group has now been renamed as the Southern Lakes Kai Collective (SLKC) and will be meeting again later in September.
COMPLETE4.8
Develop a roadmap of initiatives and funding opportunities to accelerate and scale up community food system projects across the district. These could include:
UPDATEUpdate
1 December 2024Council has partnered with WAO to advance phase two of the Queenstown Lakes Food Resilience Project, which recently introduced the Southern Lakes Kai Collective at the Wao Summit in Wānaka. This Collective is designed to tackle key challenges in the region's food system, such as the community's heavy reliance on imported goods, limited market access for local producers, and a lack of food diversity.
With a focus on building a self-sustaining local food network, the Southern Lakes Kai Collective aims to strengthen ties between residents and regional food sources, support local growers, and promote sustainable practices. To achieve this, the Collective addresses barriers like high land costs and regulatory challenges for producers, encouraging community-led food resilience efforts that empower sustainable, local food production.
2022-20254.8a
Community garden initiatives across all communities in the district.
COMPLETE4.8b
Supporting the Pataka Kai movement for community pantries.
2022-20254.8c
Increasing the commitment to urban edible planting.
2022-20254.8d
Mapping of fruit and nut foraging sites across the district.
2022-20254.8e
Supporting community education.
2022-20254.8f
Building the capacity of our food recovery and community food services network.
2022-20254.8g
Bringing trail building, conservation, and edible planting together where appropriate.
2022-20254.9
Support composting, gardening skills, food growing hubs and the development of community composting.
UPDATEUpdate
1 December 2024The following initiatives have been supported by Council:
> Community Composting Project with Ministry for the Environment (MfE) Co-funding: Two community composting hubs have been successfully set up, with agreements finalized to establish a third and fourth hub through partnerships with local community groups.
> Dr Compost Programme: The program has delivered a range of resources, including hosting education sessions upon request, offering guidance via a helpline, and sharing information through interviews, articles in local media, and social media posts.
> EnviroSchools Programme: Composting techniques and methodologies have been taught in multiple schools, encouraging students to engage in sustainable waste management practices.
> Subsidies for Bokashi Systems and Worms: The program continues to subsidize bokashi composting kits and worms
> Community Green Waste Sites: Green waste disposal facilities have been provided at various locations, including Kingston, Lake Hawea, Luggate, Makarora, and Glenorchy.COMPLETEWe accelerate community-led action4.10
Create a live schedule of all climate action and waste minimisation related community and QLDC projects underway in the district. Understand stage of development, barriers, opportunities and how QLDC can support. Develop clear criteria for assessment.
UPDATEUpdate
1 December 2024There are a wide range of community planting initiatives underway in key sites across the district. The majority if these are led by passionate volunteers with support from a range of partner organisations including QLDC. Some of the key projects are led by local organisations like Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust and Whakatipu Reforestation Trust, who have introduced significant revegetation at multiple sites in Upper Clutha and Whakatipu Basin.
QLDC collaborates with over 36 community groups that help manage local planting and pest control. Partnerships with iwi, local trusts, and government agencies further strengthen these conservation efforts, aiming to protect and restore natural ecosystems throughout the district.
Regular updates on the progress of these project is provided on social media and details of the sites can be found in the Parks & Open Spaces map in the QLDC Spatial Hub (https://gis-qldc.hub.arcgis.com/).2022-20234.11
Invest in a Council Climate Action contestable fund to support innovative community and business projects that respond to climate change (refer to Action 6.8 for the Biodiversity contestable fund).
UPDATEUpdate
1 December 2024Council has increased its funding commitment to local organisations came during the recent 2024-2027 Community Fund. As part of the Community Grants process, QLDC provided an additional $200,000 in funding from the Climate & Biodiversity budget towards a wide range of organisations that support biodiversity, food resilience, zero waste, and sustainability initiatives across the district. The allocation of this funding was aligned with actions 4.11 and 6.9 within the CBP.
COMPLETE4.12
Support and promote programmes that increase the engagement of young people and build their views into climate action planning.
UPDATEUpdate
1 December 2024QLDC continues to provide ongoing support for the Enviroschools programme, Te Kākano, and the Whakatipu Reforestation Trust Educate for Nature programme. The team has also been working with students from Mt Aspiring College, Wānaka Primary School, Hāwea Flat Primary School, Queenstown Primary School and Shotover Primary School in planting and maintaining reserve areas. QLDC have provided support for the Planetary Accounting Network Education Programme pilot which is being rolled out in Mount Aspiring College. The team are looking at ways to better engage with youth in the development of the next Climate & Biodiversity Plan.
2022-2025 -
More Outcomes
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1. Leadership
QLDC demonstrates ambitious climate leadership
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2. Transport
Our transport system is low-emission and better connected
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3. Built
Our built environment is low-emission and resilient
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5. Business
Low-emission businesses thrive
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6. Environment
A flourishing natural environment
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