'Ecosystem services' in the proposed Waikato Regional Policy Statement

Report: TR 2012/41

Author: G Hart, D Rutledge and S Greenhalgh (Landcare Research)

Abstract

 ‘Ecosystem services’ will be a new component of the revised Regional Policy Statement (RPS) that will require new work by the council. In particular, the proposed RPS introduces an ecosystem services objective (Objective 3.7) that sets out an aspirational goal for the region to ‘recognise and maintain or enhance ecosystem services’.

Landcare Research has been contracted to assist with new work around ecosystem services in the Waikato region. The aim of this contract is to assist Waikato Regional Council with the development of an ecosystem services evidence base. This evidence base will a) characterise, classify, and map ecosystem types and their associated services in the Waikato region, and b) develop an ecosystem services model that explores the consequences of trade-offs of future development options and policies on ecosystem services, as well as providing information to potentially incorporate into the Waikato Integrated Scenario Explorer (WISE), which is an integrated spatial decision support system designed to help policy development, planning and resource management.

This report addresses the first stage of the project, which is to review use of the term ‘ecosystem services’ in the Waikato proposed RPS staff report and public submissions made on the proposed RPS. The next stage of this project is to prioritise ecosystem services based on the findings of this report and with input from Waikato Regional Council staff.

'Ecosystem services' in the proposed Waikato Regional Policy Statement [PDF, 1.2 MB]