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A major new strategy that aims to bring indigenous plants and animals to Hamilton has been met with cheers and applause, but it remains to be seen whether the Hamilton City Council will fund properly.
The council’s environment committee approved the adoption of the draft Nature in the City Strategy at a meeting Tuesday, and will now enter the mix of projects that will compete for attention and budget as part of the long-term plan process.
And the council will delve into that process in earnest next week, when it meets to discuss what will and will not be on the table as part of the draft plan.
The Nature in the City document sets out some firm and tangible goals to restore biodiversity in Hamilton, the mainstay of which is a major increase in indigenous vegetation cover.
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Currently, the City of Hamilton has an indigenous coverage of about 2%, but coverage of at least 10% is needed to improve ecological functions and allow ecosystems to be self-sustaining.
In addition to making the city a more biodiverse place, and therefore more interesting and enjoyable, having more trees and foliage will play a small but significant role in addressing the effects of climate change.
Dominico Zapata / Things
Hamilton City Councilmember Sarah Thomson: “We have an opportunity to leave a continuing legacy by starting this now.”
If the strategy is funded, an inter-council working group will be established, a monitoring and reporting program will be created, and a work schedule will be developed for the ecological restoration of the city’s six major ravine systems.
Numerous community planting and weeding activities and educational programs will help carry out the initiative.
The ultimate goal is to achieve that 10% coverage by 2050.
While a projected financial figure has not yet been attached to this process, the costs of creating the strategy amounted to $ 15,000.
In May, the council asked the government for $ 103.5 million to rejuvenate five of the city’s gully networks, as part of Waikato’s offer of financing for turnkey projects.
However, that request for help was ignored.
Christel Yardley / Stuff
There are six main ravine systems running through the city. Completely restored to native shrubs and trees, they could easily become home to a host of native bird species.
The strategy has been largely driven by Councilwoman Sarah Thomson, the committee’s vice chair, who spoke of her enthusiasm for being able to lay the foundations for an initiative that will outlive her for a long time.
“It is one of the best intergenerational investments we can make,” Thomson told colleagues Tuesday. “Possibly the best investment we could make.
“When we go … the totara, the rimu, the kauri, all these beautiful and majestic trees will still be there. When the roads have been replaced, the bridges, replaced, and the buildings gone and back up, they will still be there.
“What nature offers is very diverse in terms of our well-being, and the strategy really sums it up.
“We have the opportunity to leave a continuing legacy by starting this now. It will take a long time to see mature trees like Jubilee Park … This document is the foundation of that investment. “
Strategy author, social development strategy and policy advisor Amanda Banks said she was also delighted to see her work come to life.
He said that one of his main motivations in his work was to see Kereru return to the ravines of the city.
“They are my favorite native bird. I love how they underestimate their weight and overestimate the carrying capacity of the branches they are about to land on. “
Comical antics aside, Kereru played a key role in forest restoration through seed distribution, Banks said.
“I’ll let you find out how that happens. They are a really important part of our restoration team, so bringing them back to our ravines is vital. “
Mayor Paula Southgate described the strategy as “no token gesture.”
“This is as important a job as roads and pipelines … a healthy city depends on a healthy environment.”
The committee approved the strategy unanimously, to cheers from the audience’s rostrum.
Before the committee’s decision, the assembled politicians were approached by various environmental advocates, including Dr. Kiri Wallace, who earned a Ph.D. in urban ecology from the University of Waikato.
“As my career has progressed, I have seen Kirikiriroa develop in really wonderful ways,” he said.
“Why do I think this strategy is remarkable? By passing it, we will join the ranks of the most holistic international cities that have taken a long-term and progressive approach to the well-being of their citizens.
“This is the direction smart cities are going, so let’s not get left behind.”
