Outcome Six: Environment Taiao

Work has been progressing to investigate the options to reducing the environmental impact of Council's pest plant & weed control practices. Literature reviews have been completed to gain an improved understanding of the best practices and the experiences of other authorities when it comes to reduction plans. A measurement programme has been implemented with contractors to track the usage of agrichemicals, and the results of this tracking are now being evaluated.

Options for developing a Spray Policy and an Agrichemical Reduction Plan will be recommended based on this results of this review, along with new environmental requirements for contractor agreements. The first opportunity for inclusion of these contract requirements  will be the Parks Maintenance contract that is due for release to the market in January 2025.  In parallel to this activity an investigation of Low Mow opportunities is in progress. This will involve a similar process of research, policy development, site selection, and contractor engagement. Both projects prioritise stakeholder engagement, particularly with contractors and the community, to ensure successful implementation and address potential concerns.

The Blue Green Network Plan (BGN Plan) provides a strategic, long-term framework that identifies opportunities for protecting and integrating natural systems and open spaces into the planning and development of Queenstown Lakes District's urban areas and settlements. It emphasises the importance of preserving vital water systems (i.e. ‘blue’ elements) alongside land-based ecosystems and open spaces (i.e. ‘green’ elements), particularly as we face development intensification and climate change.

This will help minimise fragmentation  of ecosystems, proactively identify space for water, enhance community well being, enhance biodiversity, strengthen cultural connections to place, increase community resilience, and provide for recreation, sport and social opportunities. The draft BGN Plan will be  endorsed by Grow Well Whaiora Steering Group in early 2025 and then shared with Councilors for endorsement ahead of community consultation in mid 2025.

The Governance Mentoring programme has been delivered in partnership with Community Governance Aotearoa and mentoring Foundation NZ. This was made available in 2022 and 2032 with uptake from people across a range of sectors. The 2023 cohort included mentees from Sustainable Queenstown, Generation Zero, WoolOn Creative Fashion Event, WAO, Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust, Food for Love Wanaka. 

A wide range of community-led planting projects are underway to enhance local biodiversity, restore native habitats, and mitigate soil erosion. These initiatives, facilitated by Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) in partnership with local environmental groups, focus on planting native trees, shrubs, and grasses in critical areas, including parks, riverbanks, and reserves.  The progress of these projects is regularly updated through social media as well as on the Parks & Open Spaces map in the QLDC Spatial Hub. Options for providing improved storymapping of these projects is being investigated 

Additional funding has been allocated to the 2024 Community  Grant fund from the Climate & Biodiversity Plan budget to help support local organisations who are supporting biodiversity protection and restoration efforts across the district. A review of the best model for providing funding support to local partner organisations in the climate action and biodiversity space is also underway. The intent is to adopt a strategic partnership model rather than a contestable fund. This will involve collaboration with other funding agencies (e.g. Community trusts, ORC) to ensure that key funding decisions are strategically aligned to help build capacity and accelerate progress across the district. For more information see our latest updates (https://climateaction.qldc.govt.nz/climate-biodiversity-boost-for-community-funding/)