Let's Protect Our Environment

We are updating our plan to protect our natural environment from the negative impacts of species introduced from other countries.

These include:

• plants
• animal
• plant diseases.

We want to know your views about how we can work together to protect our environment both now and for future generations.

We all have a part to play in protecting our natural environment. Our own unique species such as kiwi, tūī and pōhutukawa are central to our identity and a key part of what makes Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland special.

We need to look after the taonga (treasure) that is our natural environment to:

• protect our native species and ecosystems
• protect Māori cultural values
• maintain the economic wellbeing of our region by protecting our industries, like:
  • farming
  • forestry
  • seafood
  • tourism
• preserve our environment for future generations
• ensure the safety and wellbeing of our communities.

Our current plan

Our current plan to guide how we protect our environment, cultural values and industries expires in 2030.

We need to update this plan to:

• continue to protect our unique natural environment after 2030
• reflect new threats to our natural environment, cultural values and industries.

Examples of new threats that have arrived from other countries since we adopted our current plan include:

• myrtle rust
• caulerpa seaweed
• freshwater gold clam.

What we want your feedback on

We need to start reviewing our current plan now, so the new plan is ready to take effect in 2030.

Before we begin drafting the new plan, we want to know your views about:

• options for cat management to protect threatened native wildlife
• achieving pest-free islands and peninsulas in the Auckland region and contributing to a predator-free New Zealand by 2050
• managing caulerpa seaweed and other harmful marine species
• reducing the spread and impact of harmful freshwater species like freshwater gold clam
• addressing the impact of climate change on our natural environment.

When you can have your say

You can have your say from Friday 25 October to Sunday 8 December 2024.

How you can have your say

To have your say, you can:

• complete our online feedback form
• email protectourenvironment@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz with your completed feedback form
• take your completed form to a library with council services
• post your completed form to:

Let’s protect our environment
Auckland Council
Free post 190198
Private Bag 92300
Victoria Street West
Auckland 1142.

You can also complete an online feedback form in the following languages:

• Te reo Māori (tohutō)
• Te reo Maaori (oropuare puurua)
• Samoan
• Tongan
• Korean
• Hindi
• Simplified Chinese
• Traditional Chinese

What happens next

We will use your feedback and feedback from mana whenua, stakeholders and technical experts to draft the proposed 10-year plan for how we can protect our natural environment after 2030.

You can have your say on our proposed plan once it is completed.