Auckland Growing Greener...The Auckland Plan vision, to be the world’s most liveable city, describes a green Auckland that is beautiful and loved by its people, prosperous and full

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growing greenerAuckland

Te pai me te whai rawa o Tāmaki Our commitment to the environment and green growth

For further information, resources and updates, visit our website: aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/aucklandgrowinggreener

http://aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/aucklandgrowinggreener

2 Auckland Growing Greener | August 2016

He Mihi

Tuia ki te rangiTuia ki te whenuaTuia ki te moanaE rongo te pō, e rongo te ao,I te reo ō ngā ahikāroa mai tāwhiti, Ki runga o ngā pae maunga whakahī o Tāmaki Makaurau o rātou reo e iri nei i te pae. E tangi nei mō te oranga o te taiao. Mai i ngā tihi o ngā maunga e rere atu nei ngā waiora i te takere wai. Ruku kau atu ana ki a wainuiātea. Ko ōna uhitai ka rewa ake i te pae o taihoronukurangi. Ko tōna oranga, he oranga mo te iwi katoa. Tihei mauri ora.

Everything is connected. The sky, the earth and the sea form the boundaries of the system. Consider male and female, night and day – balance is important in everything we do.

Concern with environmental well-being comes from far back in time – from the time of Ngā Ahikāroa, the very first people of the land, whose home fires are still burning. Their words of connection to the mountains, the rivers and the land continue. They lament the health of the environment.

From the mountain peaks to the watery depths, the tears of Rangi (Waiora) flow to their ancient source Wainuiātea, the great expanse of oceans and the mother of all the bodies of water. From the sea-mists that float at the sea’s horizon flows the health of everyone.


Foreword

Auckland has a natural environment that makes it a spectacular place to live. We are blessed with easy access to beaches, harbours, bush, streams and maunga – all of which are a significant part of our quality of life. The natural environment is the basis for our economic development, our health and well-being and our cultural and spiritual identity.

However, as The Health of Auckland’s Natural Environment in 2015 – Te Oranga o te Taiao o Tāmaki Makaurau report tells us, our natural environment is not in as good a shape as we would like it. The legacy of decades of development has left us with some big challenges; challenges that could be amplified as we continue to grow. Auckland is expected to have at least another 700,000 people in the next 30 years. One of the biggest issues we need to resolve is the impact of our activities on our city’s streams and beaches.

We are already making a difference. Our air is cleaner and bird populations are increasing while pest species are declining in places where they are actively managed.

My goal is for Auckland to be the world’s most liveable city – te pai me te whai rawa o Tāmaki. Five years after Auckland Council was created, we are making excellent progress. Whether it’s improving public transport and cycleways, upgrading stormwater and wastewater systems or working with communities to restore streams and improve parks, there is an environmental dimension to much of what we are doing.

In the Auckland Plan we recognised the need for transformational change – to strongly commit to environmental action and green growth.

Auckland Growing Greener showcases four areas where we are getting on with positive action for the environment – urban transformation, zero waste, healthy waters and restoring nature. These are areas where Aucklanders will see visible change in the coming years.

How will we get there? How can we ensure that as Auckland grows, it also grows greener? At times, the council is able to take the lead, shaping the future of Auckland’s environment through its investment and regulatory roles. At other times, it is the sheer hard work and commitment of Aucklanders that makes the difference. Across the region in rural, urban and coastal areas, thousands of individuals and groups are taking action. Mana whenua have a special place within this effort, as kaitiaki of Tāmaki Makaurau.

In 1965 a group of forward-looking Aucklanders established a world-class natural asset for future generations; Wenderholm Regional Park. That was the beginning of a network of regional parks that we continue to add to today.

It is our responsibility to continue that legacy of being forward-looking and to ensure that the environmental future we create for those who follow us is one of positive transformation and change.

We know this beautiful city and region is going to continue to grow. Let’s make sure that as it grows, it grows greener and that we protect and enhance the environment our quality of life depends on. Because there is only one Auckland.

Len Brown Mayor of Auckland


The environment is an essential part of our identity, our economy, and the way we live. We will safeguard what we have, and strive to radically improve our environment where it has become degraded. We will become a ‘green Auckland’. — The Auckland Plan


Contents

Purpose .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

How the environment supports all we do ...................................................................................................................7

Challenge and opportunity ........................................................................................................................................................ 8

The health of Auckland’s natural environment ..................................................................................................... 9

Priority areas ...........................................................................................................................................................................................11

Targets .......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 12

Priority Area One: Urban transformation ..................................................................................................................14 Case study: City Rail Link and new public transport network ............................................................................................. 16 Case study: Network of neighbourhood greenways ..............................................................................................................17

Priority Area Two: Zero waste ............................................................................................................................................... 18 Case study: Collecting and making use of food waste .........................................................................................................20 Case study: Resource recovery at Waiuku Community Recycling Centre ........................................................................ 21

Priority Area Three: Restoring nature ............................................................................................................................22 Case study: Tūpuna Maunga O Tāmaki Makaurau: Volcanic cones ....................................................................................24 Case study: Treasure Islands: The Hauraki Gulf’s precious Taonga .....................................................................................25 Case study: Community grants project ...................................................................................................................................26

Priority Area Four: Healthy waters ..................................................................................................................................27 Case study: Water sensitive design ...........................................................................................................................................30 Case study: Okahu Catchment Ecological Restoration Plan ............................................................................................... 31

Future directions ................................................................................................................................................................................32 Accelerating Auckland Growing Greener .................................................................................................................................32 Key policy initiatives ....................................................................................................................................................................33 Case study: Wynyard Quarter sustainability framework .....................................................................................................34 Measuring success ........................................................................................................................................................................35

Appendices ...............................................................................................................................................................................................36 Appendix One: Related strategies.............................................................................................................................................36 Appendix Two: Short term indicators and long term targets .............................................................................................. 37




Purpose

The Auckland Plan vision, to be the world’s most liveable city, describes a green Auckland that is beautiful and loved by its people, prosperous and full of opportunity and recognises the mana of Tāmaki Makaurau iwi and hapū.

Auckland Growing Greener is an ongoing initiative to help realise this Auckland Plan vision. It has been developed in consultation with mana whenua, and anticipates a partnership model to develop and deliver identified commitments.

Refer to Appendix one for related plans and strategies.

Auckland Growing Greener describes:

• current trends as highlighted in The Health of Auckland’s Natural Environment in 2015 – Te Oranga o te Taiao o Tāmaki Makaurau report

• the challenges and opportunities for our region to grow in a way that promotes and supports our natural assets

• the role of council and council-controlled organisations (CCOs) to deliver on four priority areas – restoring nature, urban transformation, zero waste and healthy waters

• future commitments for council and CCOs to act as a catalyst for the region to ‘grow greener’ focused on five key operating principles: walking the talk, empowering communities, partnering with mana whenua, embracing innovation and delivering infrastructure for multiple outcomes.

The Mayor’s Vision The world’s most liveable city

Iwi m

anag

emen

t pla

ns

Marine spatial plans

Waste management and minimisation

Biodiversity strategy

Low carbon

Auckland

Infrastructure strategy

Unitary plan

bylawsA small representation of all the plans…

Auckland becoming greener

The Auckland Plan

Long-Term Plan Local board plans


How the environment supports all we do

Auckland’s natural environment is a key asset to the city and region, bringing many benefits and supporting our lives and lifestyles, including:

• resources from the land and water, including food and timber

• temperature regulation, storing carbon and natural filtering of air and water

• health benefits to people of clean air, water and green spaces

• cultural benefits including aesthetic, recreational and spiritual values

• flood protection using streams and wetlands to even out water flows.

As Auckland grows, we must grow greener. We need to restore and protect the environment while providing for the vitality and energy that a growing population brings. Achieving this requires the combined actions of many, as well as finding new ways of working together.

We know that growing greener is increasingly possible with benefits for the environment, the economy and our communities. Innovations around the world and here in New Zealand show us what we can do right now, and point to opportunities to be further explored.

Growing greener means:

• making it possible to live in compact, walkable communities

• changing how we move around, with more public and active transport options

• sustainable use of resources – energy, water and materials

• treating waste as a resource

• restoring and enhancing natural ecosystems to ensure their resilience and productivity

• using natural assets and green infrastructure to manage stormwater and flood risks

• finding and investing in green business opportunities, including eco-tourism and cultural tourism, green technology, food and beverage production.

Growing greener will not always be easy. Sometimes, our thinking and expectations may be ahead of what we can practically achieve. Yet, as we see with renewable energy, information and transport technologies, the situation is rapidly changing. A shift in market preferences here and internationally has made innovations like electric vehicles and solar technology more affordable. We have a significant opportunity to use new technologies and thinking, to prosper economically and enhance our natural environment.

Agricultural fields in Paerata, Franklin.


Fullers ferry departs Waiheke Island, Hauraki Gulf.

Challenge and opportunity

The Auckland Plan sets the challenge of becoming the most liveable city in the world. Our natural environment is a major asset to this aspiration: the many beaches, harbours, forests, maunga, waterways and parks that make this city and region a magnificent place to live. Aucklanders consistently rate the natural environment as the number one thing that they like about living in Auckland.

Auckland’s long-term economic development is dependent on a healthy natural environment. The tourism, fisheries, aquaculture and agriculture sectors all require clean water and air, and fertile, non-contaminated land. A clean, green environment is a major asset in our international competitiveness, and essential for the health and well-being of all Aucklanders.

Yet the collective impact of human activity is damaging the environment we love and need. The Health of Auckland’s Natural Environment in 2015 – Te Oranga o te Taiao o Tāmaki Makaurau report highlights significant pressures on the ecological health of the region, particularly in freshwater and marine environments.

The legacy of development choices – where and how we have chosen to grow and the technologies we have used – is evident in the increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the air, and the reduced quality of air, soils and water, whose productive functions we rely on. Brown haze across the city on windless winter days; harmful contaminant levels increasing in the waters and sediments of our streams, rivers and harbours; significant losses of our native wildlife and their habitats. All are examples of the impact of earlier decisions. We need to focus on these areas if we are to achieve positive change and prevent further decline.

Environmental pressures are likely to become more acute as the population of Auckland grows – adding the equivalent population of Taupo every year. Another 1 million people are expected to make Auckland their home by 2045. The increased development, infrastructure and activity to accommodate these new Aucklanders with homes, jobs and means of moving around will lead to continued environmental decline unless we do things significantly differently than we have in the past. If we don’t find a way to manage these pressures they will weaken the resilience of the environment, and we will not reach our goal of being the world’s most liveable city.


Released October 2015, the report provides the latest monitoring results in the areas of climate, air, land and water.

The health of Auckland’s natural environment

The Health of Auckland’s Natural Environment in 2015 – Te Oranga o te Taiao o Tāmaki Makaurau report brings together the latest information on the status of Auckland’s air, land, water and biodiversity.

The report shows there have been some improvements in air quality and localised successes for indigenous biodiversity, but a continued decline in water quality, soil quality and biodiversity overall.

Some of the issues are outlined on the next page.

For further information, search ‘The Health of Auckland’s Natural Environment’ on our website: aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

http://aucklandcouncil.govt.nz


Air

Levels of harmful nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and air pollutant emissions (PM10) are low 90% of the time.

We won’t meet our targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and PM10 unless we break our car habit.

Biodiversity

Auckland is internationally recognised as a significant seabird hotspot with 27 of New Zealand’s 86 seabirds calling it home. Restoration and pest management efforts are bringing back the birds across the region.

Less than 4% of Auckland’s original wetlands and less than 1% of lava forest remain. Auckland is one of the world’s weediest cities with over 220 weed species.

Land

Auckland’s land and soil resources are some of the best in the country. They provide us with food, timber and recreational and tourism opportunities, and have important cultural and historic values.

Monitoring shows that over-fertilisation and overly compact agricultural and horticultural soils are increasing the risk of nutrient and sediment loss in surface runoff to freshwater and marine environments.

Water

Aucklanders are using less water each year – we are on track to reach our target of 253 l/p/d by 2025.

Nitrate levels in South Auckland’s volcanic aquifers exceed drinking water and environmental standards.

Over half of our urban streams and 75% of coastal sites are in poor health.

Source: Health of Auckland’s Natural Environment 2015.


Priority areas

Aucklanders will see visible, transformative environmental change in the coming years across four priority areas. These are areas where the council has a particular role to play as regulator, provider, facilitator and partner. The priority areas reflect council’s long-term plan commitments and are the areas which will have the greatest impact on environmental outcomes:

• urban transformation - transforming how we build, live and travel while preserving and valuing the region’s natural assets

• zero waste - reducing the amount of waste produced and finding innovative ways to recycle and repurpose

• restoring nature - restoring and enhancing natural ecosystems to ensure their resilience and productivity

• healthy waters - improving water quality and managing water quantity to ensure the protection of habitats, species and human activities that rely on clean, healthy water.

Council’s role

As a unitary authority, Auckland Council has local and regional responsibilities, and the reach and scale to match. This creates an unprecedented opportunity to address Auckland’s challenges in a more integrated way, including local boards, CCOs and the council’s region-wide functions. Using coordinated, whole-of-region approaches for all projects, programmes, planning and development controls has started to bear fruit.

Opportunities for improvement can be found in the many small choices we make every day – choices that are made easier if the right infrastructure and systems are there to support them. Paying attention to where and how we develop, the kind of infrastructure we invest in, and putting the benefits of our natural assets at the forefront of design will make it possible for those everyday choices to add up to a more sustainable and resilient future for Auckland.

Official opening of the Ōrākei Walkway, September 2014.


Targets

Through the Auckland Plan and other more specialised strategies, the council has set a suite of targets for the environment across these priority areas (see Appendix Two). Together, targets and indicators from other strategies and plans will tell us if the coordinated approach to our activities across the four priority areas is making a measurable difference to the environment.

Auckland Plan targets for a greener Auckland and environmental improvements

Urban transformation

Reduce the amount of human-introduced

greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2040 (based on 1990 emission levels)

Reduce air pollutant emissions (PM10) by 50%

by 2016 and a further 20% by 2040

Double public transport from 70 million trips in 2012

to 140 million by 2022

Zero waste

Achieve zero waste to landfill by 2040

Reduce total council and private sector-influenced waste to landfill by 30%

(from 0.8 tonnes per person per year) by 2027

Restoring nature

No regional extinctions of indigenous species

Ensure 95% of each ecosystem type is viable

by 2040

Extend network of quality open spaces

across the region

Healthy waters

Reduce overall yield of suspended sediment to

priority marine receiving environments by 15%

by 2040

Reduce wet-weather overflows to an average

of no more than two events per discharge

location per year by 2040

Reduce gross per capita water consumption by

15% of 2004 levels

Principles to achieve targets

The council has identified a set of principles that will guide our commitment to delivering the Auckland Plan’s environmental vision (see Future Directions on page 32):

• walking the talk: ensuring the council is thinking and acting green in all it does

• empowering communities: supporting the energy and commitment of the people of Auckland

• committing to collaborative partnerships with mana whenua: recognising their kaitiaki role and the intrinsic connection between the natural environment and Māori cultural well-being

• embracing innovation: looking for new ways to grow greener, and new methods to fund improvements

• delivering infrastructure for multiple outcomes: generating environmental, social and cultural assets through built infrastructure and development projects.


Giving effect to the principles across priority areas

Urban Transformation

Zero Waste

Restoring Nature

Healthy Waters

Empowering communities

Supporting the energy and commitment of the people of Auckland.

Committing to collaborative partnerships with mana whenua

Recognising their kaitiaki role and the intrinsic connection betweenthe natural environment and Māori cultural well-being.

Embracing innovation

Looking for new ways to grow greener, and new methods

to fund improvements.

Walking the talk Ensuring the council is thinking and acting green in all it does.

Generating environmental, social and cultural assets throughbuilt infrastructure and development projects.

Delivering infrastructure for multiple outcomes


Priority area one: Urban transformation

Urban transformation is about shaping the region’s urban and rural areas in a way that enhances rather than degrades our natural assets.

In the 175 years since Auckland was established as a major city, development has spread outwards, using abundant green areas on its fringe for more houses and employment. The transport and infrastructure implications of this growth model have been shown to include high energy use, high carbon emissions and significant inefficiencies.

Auckland now needs well-designed development that promotes mixed-use centres and neighbourhoods with their own strong sense of place. Together with a resilient central city, this model supports significant improvements in public and active transport, reducing the need for people to use their cars.

With its partners, the council is working on initiatives that will contribute to that future for Auckland, concentrating on:

• a sustainable urban form

• better public and active transport choices

• energy efficiency.

A sustainable urban form

A sustainable urban form means making the best use of land that has already been developed or targeted for development. By reducing urban sprawl we protect natural landscapes, rural areas and their productive soils, and give Auckland the economic, social and cultural benefits of a quality, compact model for growth.

The location and form of Auckland’s built environment and its future urban spaces and neighbourhoods are already improving through the following initiatives:

• the shift towards quality, compact urban form and the protection of Auckland’s rural areas as we apply the Auckland Unitary Plan

• sustainable precinct developments such as Wynyard Quarter (see case study, page 34)

• the Auckland Design Manual, providing guidance that recognises and incorporates mana whenua and environmental values in greenfield and brownfield developments, and showcasing successful examples

• development of greenways by building on the current network of parks, separate cycleways and pedestrian routes to design a system of multi-purpose transport corridors.

Residential housing development, Hobsonville Point.


Better public and active transport choices

Great public transport is a key to growing in an efficient, sustainable way. Improved walkability and a more convenient public transport system reduce the need to expand the road network, and ease congestion for freight. The more private car trips are replaced with public or active transport, the fewer pollutants enter water and air from the roads.

Over the next five years Auckland’s transport options will change significantly through:

• redesigning the public transport network by offering more frequent connections between the places Aucklanders live, work and study

• the City Rail Link will double CBD train capacity by adding new stations close to where people work or study

• substantial improvements to the cycle network by making it a more attractive, safer option for commuters and those who want to cycle for recreation or fitness, including the Skypath across the harbour bridge and local greenways.

Energy efficiency

Auckland’s transformation into a prosperous, energy-resilient, low-carbon city includes improving energy efficiency and conservation for cost savings, providing clean affordable energy and accelerating use of renewable energy resources.

As set out in the Low Carbon Auckland Plan 2014, over the next five years the sustainability and energy efficiency of the region will be improved through the following initiatives:

• replacing 40,000 street lights with lower-energy LED luminaires and remote management will achieve a 60 to 70 per cent energy saving

• using electric trains across Auckland from mid-2015 will save an annual 15 million litres of diesel – around 1 per cent of fossil fuel used for transport in Auckland

• partnering with community organisations and industry to improve the healthiness and sustainability of homes through schemes such as the Retrofit Your Home and Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board Healthy Homes projects. These support homeowners to improve energy efficiency and save water.

Clean energy can be generated from solar roof panels.

Transforming to a low-carbon Auckland will bring outcomes such as efficient development and use of renewable energy.


Britomart Transport Centre. The last of Auckland Transport’s diesel trains were replaced by electric trains on 20 July 2015.

Case study:

City Rail Link and new public transport network

Auckland is now redesigning the public transport network which will make it easier for more people to use public transport.

The City Rail Link (CRL) will dramatically improve Auckland’s train network. Converting Britomart into a through-station will double capacity through the city centre, allowing 30,000 people to travel in and out hourly. More trains, more often and two new city stations will make all of Auckland more accessible and provide a catalyst for development. Greater accessibility will contribute to economic growth.

The CRL will be designed, constructed and operated to the highest sustainability standards:

• minimising the use of materials, energy and water

• striving for zero waste to landfill during construction

• targeting an excellent infrastructure sustainability rating.

Mana whenua agreed on environmental principles to be incorporated into the CRL design framework:

• bring landscape elements back to the urban areas – water, trees, birds and insects

• maintain and enhance the environmental quality of water, air and soil.

The New Public Transport Network aims to significantly increase the frequency of trips, so that people can ‘turn up and go’. This means integrating buses, trains and ferries, and redesigning routes to match the trips that Aucklanders make. Core routes will be served every 15 minutes from 7am to 7pm, supported by connector routes at lower frequencies.

Redesigned transport interchanges and timetables will be aligned where possible. The new network has begun in parts of west Auckland and will roll out across the region over the next five years.


My dream is to bike or walk anywhere I want to go, safely.—Andrew Trevelyan, Greenways co-ordinator

The Grafton Gully cycleway connecting the Northwestern cycleway to Quay Street was opened 6 September 2014.

Case study:

Network of neighbourhood greenways

Neighbourhood greenways will let you move under your own steam and at your own pace between places such as schools, town centres, open spaces and transport hubs. Greenways are transport links focused on walking and cycling, providing on-street and trail links between these destinations as well as supporting recreational opportunities.

Greenways also bring other opportunities and benefits, including connecting communities and exposing people to Auckland’s natural and cultural heritage.

Greenways could enhance biodiversity by acting as wildlife corridors or restoring ecological functions.

Greenway plans have been driven from the ground up by community champions and local boards, including Whau, Puketāpapa, Maungakiekie-Tāmaki and Waitematā. Plans are now being implemented by over a dozen local boards.

A wider strategic collaboration involving the council, CCOs, local boards, the Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority, mana whenua, trusts and corporate partners will ensure the growing network is connected, high quality, and delivers on-the-ground green infrastructure that will be well used and loved by all Aucklanders.


Priority area two: Zero waste

Zero waste means reducing the amount of waste we produce, and treating it as a resource rather than an unpleasant problem to be thrown away. Environmentally speaking, there is no such thing as throwing waste away. Materials disposed of in landfills today will stay there for a very long time, creating leachates and gases as organic materials slowly decompose and interact with other landfilled items. Although modern landfills are well managed and reduce their impact as much as possible, there are better options for much of the material currently treated as waste.

Zero waste encourages the use of a cyclical approach: items that are no longer required are reused (possibly for another purpose) or channelled into valuable resource streams. This moves away from the mostly linear approach where we take materials, use them and then discard them. It reduces the demand for raw materials, and the waste that ends up in landfill. This ensures better use of resources, promoting innovative economic development in local communities, extending the life of current landfills and lowering carbon footprints.

Over the coming years Aucklanders will see the council:

• make it easier to reuse, recycle, recover and treat waste

• support a waste-free mindset.

As the council directly manages less than one-fifth of the region’s waste stream, achieving zero waste will need continued advocacy and collaboration with industry and neighbouring regions.

Council’s Waste Management and Minimisation Plan identifies a goal of zero waste by 2040. About 65 per cent of kerbside refuse collected from households could be recycled, composted or processed in some other way, instead of going to landfill.– Waste Management and Minimisation Plan

Linear economy

Take

Make

Use

Dispose

Take Make

UseRecycle,

reuse, repurpose, return to earth

Cyclical Economy


Reuse, recycle, recover and treat

Making it easier for residents and businesses to reduce, reuse and recycle their waste is the focus of actions planned for the next five years:

• a three-bin system in urban areas, to separately collect food waste

• a pay-as-you-throw system for general refuse for areas that don’t already have it, encouraging reuse and recycling as a way of reducing waste going to landfill

• a network of community recycling centres across the region which will divert resources from landfill and create job and training opportunities.

Supporting a waste-free mindset

Encouraging waste reduction at source through informed purchasing and producer responsibility gives Auckland the potential to significantly reduce the overall waste stream and become a resource-efficient city.

This transformative view of waste is delivered through:

• awareness campaigns and educational programmes on how to reduce waste

• a partnering approach that supports communities to lead their own innovative initiatives for waste reduction

• advocating for central government to continue implementing and improving the Waste Minimisation Act

• supporting efforts of others and advocating for waste reduction at source e.g. informed packaging stewardship, purchasing and producer responsibility, and working with communities

• working with the property and building industries on construction and demolition waste, using the lessons from the council’s move into its Albert Street premises where 82 per cent of waste was diverted from landfill

• extending Para Kore-marae waste management support to papakāinga and other places.

These moves recognise that achieving zero waste will require rethinking the approaches society takes (e.g. product design, materials and packaging, and how long products last), and a focus on accounting for the energy and raw materials used to make products.

Environmentally speaking, there is no such things throwing waste away. Materials disposed of in landfills today will stay there for a very long time.

For tips on what you can and can’t recycle, head to makethemostofwaste.co.nz




Putting communities at the centre of our trial helped us achieve better waste outcomes and learn new approaches to engaging with diverse communities. — Jenny Chilcott, Senior Waste Planning Specialist

Students at Edmund Hillary Primary School taking part in a food scraps trial.

Case study:

Collecting and making use of food waste

Around 40 per cent of the average wheelie bin or rubbish bag by weight is organic material such as food scraps. The council is using trials across the city to test the best way to collect and divert this waste.

In Solveig Place, Manurewa, the council partnered with Te Awa Ora Trust to design and implement a food scraps trial, using a community-centred approach to get residents to start using the collection service, and to keep using it.

Street barbeques and local residents door-knocking led to 70 per cent of households participating.

As well as diverting around 5kg of food waste from landfill per household every week, neighbours report getting to know each other, and a greater sense of community.

Students at Edmund Hillary Primary School and residents of Smith Street and Bates Avenue, Papakura, have also been part of successful trials. A similar trial with 2000 North Shore households diverted 15 tonnes of food waste per month.

The information gained from these trials will improve the way we collect and manage organic waste when the region-wide rollout of organic waste collection begins.


The Waiuku Community Recycling Centre is the first of the 12 planned CRCs across Auckland.

Sam Edgecombe, Waiuku Community Recycling Centre.

Case study:

Resource recovery at Waiuku Community Recycling Centre

The council is establishing a Resource Recovery Network of 12 Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) across Auckland. The network will play an essential role in reducing waste to landfill, provide local jobs and skills training, and enable operators to educate communities about reducing waste.

People drop off reusable and recyclable items at the centres, and workers repair and refurbish reusable goods for sale. Recyclable materials are sold to recyclers. Waiuku Zero Waste teaches work skills and has created seven local jobs.

Although the five-year contract only started in October 2014, they are already achieving results, diverting 246 tonnes of material from landfill in the first six months. Opening hours have also been extended to meet demand.

A local group was awarded a contract in July 2015 to operate the Helensville CRC, and a charitable organisation was awarded the contract in December 2015 to operate the Devonport CRC.


Priority area three: Restoring nature

Auckland has an instantly recognisable, diverse natural environment made up of volcanic cones and craters, forests, streams, wetlands, estuaries and harbours, and an intricate coastline including dunes and islands. These features support a rich variety of plants and animals, some of which are found nowhere else in the world.

Many of Auckland’s best examples of rare vegetation types are found in the urban environment. Patches of bush, wetlands and parks provide habitats for a surprising range of native species.

The native birds, frogs, bats, lizards, insects and marine life that make their homes in the treasured spaces of our regional parks and sometimes in our own back yards, are under threat. Urban sprawl, loss of trees, rural production, marine pollution and changes to climate all put pressure on our natural ecosystems. Introduced plants and animals also present a major threat to many native species.

The vision of the Auckland Plan and the Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy is for thriving biodiversity on public and private land. Natural habitats in urban areas act as stepping stones and corridors where indigenous species can rest, feed, roost and move across the landscape. They can also provide homes for rare and threatened species that prefer different types of habitat, such as the ornate skink found in Newmarket Park.

To prevent further loss and to recreate resilient, thriving natural spaces, the council will continue to lead and support Aucklanders in their world-leading restoration and biosecurity efforts through:

• restoring and protecting biodiversity in our wild and special places

• connecting people to nature in urban environments.

Mana whenua

As kaitiaki, mana whenua place high importance on protecting mauri, native species, culturally significant landscapes and restoring natural resources.

Restoring and protecting biodiversity in our wild and special places

We protect native species by ensuring that habitats are protected, connected and restored where necessary. Enhancing Auckland’s wild and special places, such as Little Barrier – Hauturu Island, Tawharanui Peninsula and the Hunua and Waitākere Ranges parks, is a vital part of this. Work is also underway to further protect freshwater and marine biodiversity.

Key projects include:

• identifying, protecting and restoring high-priority species and ecosystems across the region, designating about 3000 significant ecological areas (SEAs) on land and identifying and proposing SEAs for the marine environment

• establishing Waitawa and Te Arai regional parks

• large-scale animal pest control such as Project Hunua

• preventing the spread of pests through Regional Pest Management Plan programmes such as Keep Kauri Standing – a cross-agency response to manage kauri dieback and Treasure Islands, a joint venture with the Department of Conservation on Hauraki Gulf islands

• threatened species protection e.g. takahē release at Tawharanui Regional Park, and seed orchards and seed banking of threatened plants at Auckland Botanic Gardens

• restoring local ecology.


Connecting people to nature

People who understand and value their natural environment are more likely to take part in activities to conserve it, understand how their actions impact on nature and become good guardians of our environment. City parks and open spaces, neighbourhood commons, gardens and streets provide opportunities to bring biodiversity into the city, offering many benefits.

The council is also partnering with community organisations, business and central government through a range of outreach initiatives.

Priority initiatives include:

• Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority’s biosecurity project for Auckland’s volcanic cones

• ecological connections programme (e.g. North-West Wildlink) linking biodiversity sites across the region

• supporting bigger and smaller-scale wetland restoration

• supporting community gardens (e.g. Kai Auckland Initiative) and pā harakeke (flax gardens)

• promotion of sustainable garden practices at Auckland Botanic Gardens

• continued incorporation of biodiversity outcomes in urban design and transport infrastructure

• undertaking or promoting community planting

• delivering Education for Sustainability programmes

• providing regional and local board grants to support environmental initiatives

• supporting and encouraging best practice management of biodiversity by private landowners and community groups

• supporting citizen science initiatives where the public collect information on their local environment for use in decision-making.

Community planting at Chalmers Reserve, Avondale.

People who understand and value their natural environment become good guardians.


Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill is one of 14 maunga returned to mana whenua in 2014.

Case study:

Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau: Volcanic cones

The Tūpuna Maunga (ancestral mountains) or volcanic cones are among the most treasured and distinctive landscape features of Tāmaki Makaurau. They are Taonga Tuku Iho – treasures handed down the generations. In 2014, a historic Treaty settlement returned 14 Tūpuna Maunga to 13 iwi and hapū of Auckland.

The maunga are now administered by the Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority, an independent co-governance entity comprised of Auckland Council and Ngā Mana Whēnua o Tāmaki Makaurau. Co-governance brings the mana whenua worldview and the concept of kaitiakitanga – guardianship – of these landscapes into focus and marks an important milestone in the restoration of these iconic taonga.

Pest management on the maunga, led by the council’s Biosecurity team for the Tūpuna Maunga Authority, is one example of management informed by, and highly sensitive to, both Māori and community values.

Integrating the values and world views around weed management, pest management, landscape disturbance and time perspectives has resulted in 80 per cent less herbicide being used on the maunga compared to standard methods, and an 87 to 100 per cent reduction in rabbit numbers. These improvements contribute to protecting the cultural, geological and archaeological heritage values as well as the biodiversity and ecosystems of the maunga.

The Tūpuna Maunga Integrated Management Plan sets the foundations for how Auckland’s Tūpuna Maunga are valued, restored, protected and enhanced. The plan explains that the maunga are a connected landscape and ecosystem and there is an opportunity to nurture the ecological links between them and restore ecosystems so they are healthy and have integrity.


Fluttering shearwater are now breeding on Motuihe Island for the first time in 100 years. Photo: Department of Conservation.

Forest gecko. Native geckos are thriving on our pest-free islands. Photo: Department of Conservation.

Aotea Great Barrier Island, Hauraki Gulf.

Case study:

Treasure Islands: The Hauraki Gulf’s precious taonga

We all play a part in guarding our special places from the threat of pests. The islands of the Hauraki Gulf – Tikapa Moana are a valuable refuge for some of New Zealand’s most threatened species. Birds including kiwi, tākahe, pāteke (brown teal), tieke (saddleback) and various shorebird and seabird species are flourishing on islands free of animal pests, and joint effort is needed to ensure our beautiful gulf islands remain pest-free, enabling native wildlife to flourish.

Treasure Islands is a joint conservation campaign between the council, the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Forum and the Department of Conservation which includes using specially trained dogs to detect pests like rodents, stoats, feral cats, hedgehogs and Argentine ants. It provides information to the public, offers a pest-free warrant to commercial operators in the gulf, runs a pest hotline and holds events across the islands.


Volunteers working at Kauri Point Centennial Park, Birkenhead.

Case study:

Community grants project

Each of Auckland’s 21 local boards offers grants to community initiatives that support a range of environmental outcomes.

Landowners associated with the Mataia Restoration Project in South Kaipara have received grants towards the project since 2006. This assisted with fencing 3.5km of stream, planting 36,000 trees, and improving water quality on the property and in the Kaipara Harbour. As a result, the property is an approved kiwi habitat, and North Island brown kiwi were released in 2013.

Impressive results have also been achieved across the 22,000ha Awhitu Peninsula. The council’s Environmental Initiatives Fund has assisted many projects, including planting over 100,000 native trees, eradicating pests, preventing erosion, and educating volunteers and the community.


Cockles.

Priority area four: Healthy waters

About 70 per cent of the region’s area is water and the three harbours and the Hauraki Gulf form a stunning backdrop to Auckland. Auckland’s water bodies are fed by its year-round rainfall and provide a wealth of habitats for freshwater and marine species.

Freshwater and marine health is declining across Auckland, particularly in urban streams and marine waters near the coast. Sediment and contaminants from land use are the main causes and these pressures will increase as Auckland grows. Demand for water will also increase for agricultural and industrial use and for drinking water.

For many people, Auckland is defined by its relationship to water: access to clean and healthy waters that are full of life is a vital component of our lives. Our water bodies are valued for recreation such as swimming and boating, form the basis of the aquaculture and fishing industries, and have significant intrinsic value. A clean and reliable water supply is needed for public health and for farmers and manufacturers to produce their goods.

Everyone in Auckland has a role to play in keeping our harbours, estuaries, streams and lakes healthy. The council’s priorities are to focus on:

• managing water together

• connecting effects from land to sea.

Managing water together

Activities on land and water affect the mauri (health) of water, and many activities harm our fresh and marine waters. All users of freshwater and marine resources, including landowners, need to work together so that decisions on how to use and manage these resources are made with full information and a shared understanding of different views.

The mauri of water

The mauri of water is of huge importance to all in Tāmaki Makaurau. Mana whenua have a unique role as kaitiaki, which is recognised through Treaty settlements. The council is partnering with mana whenua to recognise them as kaitiaki and ensure that mātauranga Māori and the principles of mauri are applied to the governance and management of our freshwater and marine environments.

Collaborative management is used in many processes led or supported by the council, such as:

• the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management which aims to protect the life-supporting capacity of our streams, lakes and wetlands by setting objectives and limits for water quality and use. The council will implement this through Wai Ora Healthy Waters, working with mana whenua and communities to set limits and to manage the impacts of land use and development that might degrade our water

• the development of Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari, a marine spatial plan for the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park

• the Integrated Kaipara Harbour Management Group and their work to improve the harbour and its catchments

• the Manukau Harbour Forum and their work to improve the harbour and its catchments.

28 Auckland Growing Greener | August 2016Sailing at Narrow Neck Beach.


La Rosa Steam, Green Bay. Photograph courtesy of James Cheng.

Reducing contaminants at the source is the most effective way to make waters healthy.

Connecting effects from land to sea

Sediment and contaminants enter streams through stormwater runoff and drain into the sea, polluting the marine environment. Reducing contaminants at source is the most effective way to make waters healthy and this can be done by changing practices for building, developing and farming. The amount of water extracted for industrial use, agriculture and drinking water also affects the quality by altering the flow through the water cycle.

Also important is the need to empower people and communities to understand the impact that their everyday choices have on water quality.

Priority initiatives are to:

• promote the use of water sensitive design in all developments

• improve water quality by reducing stormwater contaminants at source and local board driven industry pollution prevention programmes

• implement, with community partners, the West Coast Lagoons Action Plan to address the multiple sources of pollutants entering the lagoons from surrounding land

• roll out improved stormwater catchpit maintenance practices which is likely to achieve 75 per cent more sediment being removed

• build the Central Interceptor tunnel between Western Springs and Māngere Wastewater Treatment Plant to reduce wastewater overflows into the Waitematā Harbour and allow for growth

• deliver a water quality monitoring, education and action programme for community groups, individuals, businesses and schools

• support community-based catchment initiatives such as Project Twin Streams, Te Auaunga Awa, and the Whau and Weiti restoration projects

• implement the Auckland Regional Water Demand Management Plan.


Water sensitive street design at a residential housing development, Long Bay.

Stormwater is treated by flowing through swales and rain gardens before reaching local streams and the wider environment.

Case study:

Water sensitive design

At Long Bay, water sensitive design (WSD) principles were integral to the planning process right from the start. One principle is to have lower housing density in the upper catchments which have more sensitive stream environments.

The street design is part of a ‘treatment train’, where stormwater is treated by flowing through swales and rain gardens before reaching local streams and the wider environment. These treatments also make the street more attractive.

WSD principles include using green infrastructure like swales and rain gardens, and integrating landscape and land use when designing water management.

WSD has also been applied in the Flat Bush and Hobsonville developments, and in stream and stormwater infrastructure developments across Auckland. A trail of interconnected WSD devices (rain garden, swale, green roofs, tree pit, riparian planting, sediment forebay and wetlands) using native plants is on display at the Auckland Botanic Gardens.


8th Annual Kaimoana Survey of Okahu Bay working with 120 tamariki from three schools in the catchment.

Kaumatua Tamaiti Tamariki at the first mussel drop, August 2015. Photographs courtesy of Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei.

Case study:

Okahu Catchment Ecological Restoration Plan

In 2007, the Okahu Catchment Ecological Restoration Plan was developed by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei whanau. A visionary statement was identified: Waters fit to swim in at all times, with thriving marine ecosystems that provide sustainable kaimoana resources to a Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei community who have strong daily presence in and on the bay as users and kaitiaki.

Working with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the council plays a key role in providing technical support to the restoration programme.

A collaborative approach to align mātauranga Māori with scientific principles has enabled a restoration strategy that holds the intention of the iwi at the centre of the decision-making process while using empirical data to interpret the mātauranga with agencies.

Restoration techniques include:

• connecting our schools in the catchment with the restoration programme so they can become kaitiaki themselves, and learning the skills of kaitiakitanga by creating opportunities for learning and capacity building in the bay

• naturalising the Okahu tidal creek and Atkin Avenue stream system, and the filtration of all stormwater introduced from Tamaki Drive. Both have been supported by Auckland Council

• introducing six tonnes of mussels into Okahu Bay from 2014 as a bio-remediation tool to address heavy metal and sediment loads in the marine environment. This is part of the first hapū-based mussel reef restoration programme in New Zealand.


Future directions

Accelerating Auckland growing greener

Achieving the vision for a green Auckland depends on the Auckland Council and CCOs activating, coordinating and directly delivering economic growth and improvements in environmental quality.

The environmental issues described in The Health of Auckland’s Natural Environment in 2015 – Te Oranga o te Taiao o Tāmaki Makaurau report pose significant challenges for Auckland. Addressing these requires us to improve how we make decisions, how we work across all domains – climate, air, land and water – and how we protect biodiversity. This means using the right tools and approaches, improving the quality and flow of information, and deepening our relationships with others seeking these same outcomes.

The Auckland Plan states that a green Auckland is a key outcome of the vision of becoming the world’s most liveable city. One of the six transformation shifts required to reach this is to ‘strongly commit to environmental action and green growth’.

Auckland Growing Greener is an ongoing initiative. The council will continue to empower Aucklanders to live and work in ways that promote and support our natural environment. As we apply at pace the actions in the four priority areas, this will lead to visible changes for the better in Auckland in the coming years.

The council will prioritise investment in initiatives that produce the best results. The design and implementation of these projects will be guided by our commitment to five key operating principles:

Walking the talk – ensuring we are thinking and acting green in all we do

Given our scale, we have the opportunity and responsibility to lead the way for Auckland, using environmentally responsible practices. Walking the talk means embedding sustainability goals into internal business practices.

An example is committing to sustainable procurement, thereby fostering sustainable practices in the businesses we work with.

Empowering communities – supporting the energy and commitment of the people of Auckland

An empowered and engaged community is critical for achieving better environmental outcomes. We will continue to support passionate and committed Aucklanders, groups and businesses seeking to improve their local environments. This includes local board grants and other funding, partnering with businesses and organisations, and delivering awareness and education programmes.

Committing to collaborative partnerships with mana whenua – recognising their kaitiaki role and the intrinsic connection between the natural environment and Māori cultural well-being

Auckland’s iwi and hapū have intrinsic and deep relationships with Auckland’s unique landscapes, waters and indigenous life. Achieving the vision of the Auckland Plan requires the support of mana whenua as kaitiaki and increased opportunities for involvement in managing natural resources. We are committed to becoming highly responsive to Māori aspirations and improving outcomes for Māori, and will actively seek, support and deliver partnerships with mana whenua for managing the natural environment and restoring its mauri. Operations and governance will continue to reflect the mana whenua kaitiaki and our stewardship roles for the natural environment.




Comans Track, Karekare, Waitākere Ranges Regional Park.

Embracing innovation – looking for new ways to grow greener, and new methods to fund improvements

Current approaches will not lead to the environmental outcomes required to create the world’s most liveable city. The council will actively pursue innovative ways to shift the focus from treating symptoms of envornmental decline to making changes that directly influence the causes.

A wider and more open exploration of root causes will encourage innovative ways of planning, design and delivery solutions to tackle the challenges. Willingness to consider new approaches is also an important part of stimulating the production and uptake of sustainable goods and services.

Delivering environmental, social and cultural benefits through built infrastructure and development projects.

The council is committed to generating multiple outcomes by investing in infrastructure. Integrated asset planning, design and delivery requires embedding environmental values and benefits into planning and decision-making for all forms of infrastructure.

This applies where the council or a CCO has direct influence on infrastructure as a purchaser, owner, operator, educator or regulator.

Key policy initiatives

The council will continue to identify where it can make environmental advances and explore better ways to practise, process, measure and report.

Key policies that will inform our way of working are:

• developing cultural well-being measures with mana whenua

• using whole-of-life costing in asset planning and delivery

• using sustainability rating tools such as the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia IS Rating Tool, Green Star and the Living Building Challenge

• developing an information portal to improve the flow of information between the council and the community

• exploring new funding mechanisms to ensure appropriate investment in natural assets

• using broader progress indicator frameworks such as the Global Reporting Initiative.

We will continue to engage with and support mana whenua, strategic partners and community stakeholders to link regional and local moves to create a greener Auckland.


We expect a 45 per cent drop in greenhouse gas emissions across Wynyard Quarter, compared to typical redevelopments of this scale.

Wynyard Quarter.

Case study:

Wynyard Quarter sustainability framework

The Sustainable Development Framework for Wynyard Quarter has set expectations and targets to measure progress and success against. All developments in Wynyard Central must walk the talk and meet or exceed agreed environmental sustainability standards. These include high-performance, energy and water-efficient buildings (rainwater reuse, renewable energy, solar photovoltaics for energy and solar hot water) and sustainable transport modes.

The standards include a requirement to achieve a minimum Green Star 5 rating for commercial or mixed-use buildings over 2000m² and a Homestar 7 rating for residential buildings. We expect this to contribute to a 45 per cent drop in greenhouse gas emissions across Wynyard Quarter, compared to typical redevelopments of this scale.

As Wynyard Quarter develops, we are collecting and displaying information about building and precinct performance on the WQsmart website (wqsmart.co.nz).

Panuku Development Auckland is committed to showcasing sustainable urban transformation through the redevelopment of the waterfront, using examples that will be relevant across New Zealand.

http://wqsmart.co.nz


Mahurangi River walkway in Warkworth. Sculpture: ‘Ko ngā manu a te Mahurangi - Birds of the Mahurangi’ by artist Ruby Watson.

Measuring success

Auckland Growing Greener is an exciting journey, and our success rests on the work of many. The shift towards a greener Auckland will become increasingly visible as environmental and sustainability considerations become explicit in the council’s decision-making, and in the design and delivery of all policies and projects.

The council, including CCOs, will continue to share success stories, to inspire everyone to do more to accelerate Auckland Growing Greener. This includes a commitment to improve the way environmental information and measures are monitored, evaluated and reported on, giving an integrated view across a range of short- and long-term measures (as presented in Appendix Two).

The measures cover activities that restore and protect the environment, indicators of environment and cultural well-being, and the way environmental

and economic outcomes are linked, clearly showing environmental costs and risks and where trade-offs are made.

Success will be visible in the short-term through reporting on activities we control directly, such as sustainable procurement, and through measures such as the percentage of new housing areas with water sensitive design. Over time, corresponding long-term measures such as the water quality indicators used in the state of the environment reporting will also reflect change.

Timely and meaningful reporting on these measures will help lift the general awareness of the issues, raise the quality of the conversations and joint efforts across all sectors, and provide confidence that the region is on track to achieve the Auckland Plan aspirations.


Appendix one: Related strategies

Auckland-wide strategies What they coverAuckland Unitary Plan Sets development areas, patterns, objectives and rules across the region

Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy Provides an integrated approach to the management of indigenous biodiversity

Waste Management and Minimisation Plan

Outlines actions to achieve consistent, streamlined, efficient waste services in the domestic market and a considerable reduction in waste to landfill

Low Carbon Auckland – Auckland’s Energy Resilience and Low Carbon Action Plan

Delivers on the Auckland Plan priorities to mitigate climate change and improve energy efficiency, security and resilience

Māori Responsiveness Framework Helps guide Auckland Council to be more responsive to Māori

Public Open Space Strategic Action Plan Sets out what needs to happen to Auckland’s park and open space network over the next 10 years to achieve the aims of the Auckland Plan

Natural Hazard Risk Management Action Plan (under development)

Provides a natural hazard risk management action plan to reduce the effects of natural hazards on people, property, infrastructure and the natural environment

Regional Pest Management Plan Review (underway)

Will replace the current strategy adopted by the former Auckland Regional Council

Weed Management Policy for Parks and Open Spaces

Guides the management of weeds in Auckland’s parks and open spaces, including the road corridor. The policy applies to all land owned or administered by Auckland Council and its CCOs

Long-Term Plan and Local board plans Strategic direction budget commitments to guide decision-making. Local board plans reflect the priorities and preferences of their communities

Area spatial plans Spatial plans within local board boundaries

Iwi management plans Documents prepared by iwi that councils must consider when developing or amending Resource Management Act plans

Economic Development Strategy Provides a long-term strategy for economic development in Auckland

Regional Land Transport Plan Outlines how transport delivery agencies intend to respond to growth and other challenges facing Auckland over the next 10 years through a prioritised programme of services and activities. The plan covers the combined programmes of Auckland Transport (AT), the NZ Transport Agency and KiwiRail

Auckland Regional Water Demand Management Plan

Outlines the actions needed to meet Watercare’s demand management target of reducing per capita water consumption by 15 per cent by 2025 compared with consumption levels of 2004


Appendix two: Short-term indicators and long-term targets

This is a collation of indicators and targets from across council documents that will tell us if the coordinated approach to our activities and action across the four priority areas are making a noticeable difference.

The long-term targets for environmental improvements are from the Auckland Plan.

State of environment monitoring and Auckland Plan implementation reporting will tell us if we are achieving these targets.

The short-term indicators tell us if we are delivering on actions committed to in existing council strategies and planning documents.

Urban transformationArea of focus Short-term indicator Long-term targetSustainable urban form

70/40 split of future development inside and outside the 2010 Metropolitan Urban LimitAuckland Development Strategy

Environmental and water sensitive design adopted for priority development projects (Spatial Priority Areas, Special Housing Areas, roads)

Reduce the amount of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2040 (based on 1990 emission levels)Auckland Plan target 8.1

Better public and active transport options

Increase the proportion of people living within walking distance of frequent public transport stops from 14% to 32% by 2040Auckland Plan target 13.5

Double public transport from 70 million trips in 2012 to 140 million by 2022Auckland Plan target 13.1

Energy efficiency 40% reduction in energy use for street lighting based on 2011/2012 levels by 2030Low Carbon Auckland page 76

Reduce air pollutant emissions (PM10) by 50% by 2016 and a further 20% by 2040Auckland Plan target 7.5

Zero wasteArea of focus Short-term indicator Long-term targetReuse, recycle, recover and treat

Domestic kerbside refuse, per person per year: reduce from 160 to 110kg by 2018 (30% reduction) Long-Term Plan

Achieve zero waste to landfill by 2040 Auckland Plan target 7.7

Total number of resource recovery centres Long-Term Plan

Supporting a waste free mindset

Proportion of schools participating in sustainability education programmes Long-Term Plan

Reduce total council and private sector-influenced waste to landfill by 30% (from 0.8 tonnes per person per year) by 2027Waste Minimisation and Management Plan page 101

Achieve a 30% reduction in council per capita in-house waste by 2018Waste Minimisation and Management Plan page 102


Restoring nature Area of focus Short-term indicator Long-term targetRestoration and protection of biodiversity

Percentage of indigenous ecosystems under active management Long-Term Plan

Reduce vulnerability of identified ecosystem types by ensuring a 95% chance of each type being in a viable state by 2040Auckland Plan target 7.3

Ensure no regional extinctions of indigenous species and a reduction in threatened or at risk species from 2010 levels by 50% by 2040Auckland Plan target 7.2

Percentage of threatened species under active managementLong-Term Plan

Number of hectares of new forest or wetland habitat established on regional parksLong-Term Plan

Proportion of kauri areas on council land with active management or exclusion measures for kauri dieback diseaseLong-Term Plan

Percentage land area with less than 5% residual trap catch for possumsLong-Term Plan

Connecting to nature Percentage of the public who have used a regional park or visited a local park or reserve in the last 12 monthsLong-Term Plan

Maintain and extend an integrated network of quality open spaces to meet community needs and provide diverse recreational opportunities by 2040Auckland Plan target 12.5Proportion of schools participating in education

for sustainability Long-Term Plan

Number of hectares under community pest controlLong-Term Plan

Healthy watersArea of focus Short-term indicator Long-term targetManaging water together

Set limits for fresh water and identify actions to meet them National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management

Reduce wet weather overflows in separated areas to not more than two per location each yearAuckland Plan target 12.3

Marine spatial plans are in place for the Hauraki Gulf, Manukau Harbour and Kaipara Harbour Auckland Plan directive 7.2

Connecting effects from land to sea

Length (km) of waterways protected annually with riparian planting or fencingLong-term planRatio of length of watercourse physically improved versus physically degradedLong-term plan

Reduce overall yield of suspended sediment to priority marine receiving environments by 15% by 2040Auckland Plan target 7.9Reduce gross per capita water consumption by 15% from 2004 levels, by 2025Auckland Plan target 7.1



39 Auckland Growing Greener | August 2016Whatipū rockface, Waitākere Ranges Regional Park.

As Auckland grows, we must grow greener. A clean green environment is a major asset in our international competitiveness and is essential for the health and wellbeing of all Aucklanders.

ISBN: 978-0-9941367-8-7 (Print) 978-0-9941367-9-4 (PDF)