New “Big Picture” For Auckland’s Regional Parks

One thing I treasure in Auckland are the regional parks – but in an age where people talk about selling valuable land and mining in conservation areas, it’s a treasure we need to make sure we preserve and nurture.

The ARC is reviewing the way it manages regional parks and will be calling for public submissions on its new draft Regional Parks Management Plan – those views must be in by December 23.

The RPMP sets out the ‘big picture’ for managing regional parkland in the Auckland region.  It guides how parks are managed on a daily basis and into the future and covers everything that happens on parks.

In looking ahead, the plan proposes providing for increased demand for camping, campervans, bach accommodation, horse riding, mountain biking and recreational bike riding across the regional parks network.

It is structured in two volumes: volume one sets out the network-wide management policies and details the individual park actions, and volume two contains the maps.  The plan will be accompanied by an online Resource Inventory that can be updated as required.

Main changes proposed in the plan:

• an extended life from five to ten years, and developed with the 20-50 year horizon in mind
• two volumes instead of three and covering 23 regional parks
• better explanation of the relationship between protection of, and public access to, the environment and heritage of the Auckland region
• highlighting the importance of the ethics of stewardship and kaitiakitanga
• increased focus on recreation and use management, including camping, campervans, baches, horse-riding, multi-day trails, mountain biking, designated sites, discretionary and prohibited activities
• new policies on (for example) the park ranger service, smoke-free parks, art on parks, safety and security, vehicles on beaches and transport
• strengthened policies on disability access, alcohol-related behaviour, education, interpretation, volunteering and partnerships

Watch for it and participate. Let’s make sure there is a plan in place we agree with for when the restructuring of the city bureaucracy takes place. After that, anything can happen.