Draft Town Belt Management Plan - Wellington City Council

5.5 Policies
Protecting the biodiversity of the Town Belt
5.5.1 The Council will identify and restore all ecologically important areas on the Town Belt.
5.5.2 The Council will protect all streams and natural water courses on the Town Belt.
5.5.3 The Council will protect the natural structure and flow of streams on the Town Belt from
modification, and restore them where possible.
5.5.4 Where there is existing infrastructure, including stormwater management devices, within
the Town Belt these will be managed and if necessary redesigned to minimise impacts on
the natural environment.
5.5.5 The Council will continue to recognise and manage Town Belt forest (exotic and
indigenous) for its carbon absorption through programmes such as the Emissions Trading
Scheme.
Restoration
5.5.6 Indigenous habitat restoration work carried out by the Council will be prioritised around:
a. ensuring the ecological connectivity of the Town Belt and adjacent reserve land
b. enhancing the species diversity of the Town Belt
c. replacing exotic trees removed as part of a hazardous tree removal programme.
5.5.7 Where there is a significant barrier to fish passage in a section of stream flowing through
the Town Belt, the fish passage shall be restored as resources allow.
5.5.8 The Council will encourage and support local communities and interested groups to develop
and implement restoration plans for the Town Belt consistent with these policies.
5.5.9 All restoration work to native forest shall be carried out with eco-sourced plants.
5.5.10 The Council will support community revegetation, restoration and education programmes
in accordance with the Biodiversity Action Plan (2007).
Increasing indigenous vegetation cover
5.5.11 Continue with the vegetation priority and removal plan based on stand stability and risk
assessment of exotic vegetation.
5.5.12 Identify areas, as part of this removal plan, suitable for restoring indigenous vegetation
cover in each sector.
5.5.13 Revegetation priorities will be based on:
• representativeness – an assessment of the characteristic (natural) vegetation and
habitats of an area
• rarity – an ecosystem type in a locality that does or could support a rare or threatened
species
• connectivity and buffering – area provides connectivity between fragmented indigenous
habitats, buffers or enhances ecological values of a specific site of value, or provides
seasonal or core habitat for specific indigenous species
• diversity/special features – diversity of ecological units, ecosystems and physical
features within a natural area.
Draft Town Belt Management Plan October 2012 39