South Auckland Branch of Forest and Bird – Strategic Plan September 2012
Vision:
A restored and self-sustaining natural environment will provide a balanced and recognised place for people and their livelihood and for native flora and fauna and the natural features of land and sea. Human society will value the natural world and appreciate our place in it.
Mission:
To be the voice for nature in our South Auckland community and to give a lead in upholding the value of natural ecosystems in both words and deeds.
History:
In 1974 Forest & Bird South Auckland was designated as a section of the Auckland Branch and in 1975 we achieved independent branch status.
We manage two reserves on behalf of the Society.
The 15ha Ngaheretuku Reserve (meaning “Bush Gift”) in Twilight Road, Clevedon was gifted by Hugh Alexander in 14.11.1949 with the legal transfer occurring on 14.9.51.
The 8ha Olive Davis Reserve in Ranfurly Road, Alfriston was gifted in 1980 and contains the historic cottage designed by Chapman-Taylor and built for Olive Davis in 1922. In 1981 the committee decided that the former horse paddocks should be restored with local vegetation using exclusively eco-sourced seed. Planting began in 1982 and was largely completed by 1987.
We have taken a major role in several revegetation projects:
Totara Park: from 1975 we planted a fenced area as our contribution to “Come Alive, Seventy-Five”and over the next seven years further areas were fenced by Manukau Parks and planted by Forest & Bird.
Maketu Pa Historic Reserve, Ramarama: In 1987 we were invited by Franklin Council to revegetate about 3ha of rough pasture. Ecosourced planting began in 1988 and continued annually until 1999 when the project was transferred to Forest & Bird’s Franklin Branch.
In 1998, having been instrumental in persuading the Manukau City Council to purchase the Mangemangeroa Reserve, we applied to Manukau Parks for permission to restore natural eco-sourced vegetation in a badly eroded gully. Planting began as a Millenium Project in 2000 and since 2002 has continued in conjunction with The Friends of Mangemangeroa.
Introduction:
The South Auckland Branch of The Royal Forest and Bird Society of New Zealand is the only independent, community-based voice for nature in our region.
Our branch has 644 members with 522 memberships as of September 2012. Through our Kiwi Conservation Club’s 213 members, we introduce children to nature and teach them to value native plants and animals within the wider environment.
Our members and supporters have responded to many threats to the local environment, and in doing so have helped shape the attitude of our South Auckland community. We advocate for stronger environmental protection both locally and nationally and while we recognize our achievements, we must also prepare for the challenges of the future.
· Rapid population growth, land intensification and demand for recreation is placing increasing pressure on our natural environment.
· The spread of weeds and pests threatens to overwhelm our native plants and animals.
· Climate change threatens our natural habitat and our ability to cope with extreme weather events.
As a consequence our region’s biodiversity continues to decline.
In 2010 The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand “The Society” recognized the need to formulate a Strategic Plan to clarify its conservation and organisational goals. The document was released in 2011 and South Auckland Forest & Bird, realizing the value of this initiative, has formulated its own plan to focus on local challenges while meeting the requirements of the national plan.
This document will set out a long-term strategic direction for our branch that will address key conservation issues affecting our region, build a stronger branch, engage the wider community and better meet the challenges ahead, as well as support the Society nationally.
South Auckland Branch Strategic Plan
Conservation Directions
1. We will expand our advocacy for the protection of nature beyond protected areas on land and sea by:
· Promoting initiatives to protect and restore nature in South Auckland
· Challenging proposed changes to local or national regulations that allow damage to the natural ecosystems of South Auckland referring to the Resource Management Act (RMA) where appropriate.
· Developing partnerships and co-operative methods with other local environmental groups to achieve conservation outcomes.
· Identifying and incorporating wild-life corridors on private land to link in with wider networks.
· Encouraging private landowners to remove weeds and control predators on their land.
· Encouraging eco-sourced planting to combat soil erosion, to protect water quality along stream margins and in wetlands, and to buffer surviving remnants of natural habitat.
2. We will continue to defend and support public protected areas by:
· Advocating for the protection of the natural environment to local community boards and council.
· Raising awareness of the value of nature in our community and to local government.
· Advocating for our publicly owned reserves so that they are free from encroachment and the impacts of development.
· Continuing involvement in the revegetation and maintenance of Mangemangeroa Reserve.
· Supporting the formation and effective functioning of community groups dedicated to protecting their local reserves.
· Advocating measures to prevent the spread of kauri die-back disease into our region.
· Participating in eco-sourced planting to combat soil erosion, to protect water quality along stream margins and in wetlands, and to buffer surviving remnants of natural habitat.
· Raising eco-sourced plants for these purposes.
· Advocating protection of our marine and coastal environments.
3. We will explain the impact of climate change by:
· Communicating the effect of climate change on our indigenous biodiversity.
· Advocating for climate change mitigation and adaptive measures which promote and protect indigenous biodiversity and an environmentally sustainable future.
Organisational Directions
1. Growing our membership and resources by:
· Increasing our membership as well as increasing active participation and meaningful ways to contribute to conservation in our region e.g. raising eco-sourced plants, planting, predator control, fundraising, campaigning, letter writing and weed eradication.
· Seeking specialist advice to support our work and objectives.
· Fostering interest in the natural environment by engaging children in regular activities via the Kiwi Conservation Club
· Offering welcoming and well-run branch meetings with experienced speakers on a variety of conservation and natural history topics. Attendees will also be updated on topical issues with short presentations given e.g., highlighting plant/bird/insect/fish or book of the month. The information table will provide relevant promotional and conservation-related material.
· Offering well-run, interesting and informative branch outings.
· Actively engaging with local iwi.
· Actively engaging with members of our culturally diverse communities to spread awareness of, and participation in, environmental causes.
· Encouraging membership and participation in our branch by all age groups.
· We will engage with and support the Society in campaigns and with fund-raising.
· We will engage with and support other Forest & Bird branches, especially those in the greater Auckland area.
2. We will be financially independent through:
· The sale of calendars and diaries.
· Sponsorship.
· Seeking funding for specific projects.
· Developing further options.
3. We will be more effective communicators through:
· Our publications, Sentinel and e-Sentinel.
· Maintenance of the South Auckland page on the Forest & Bird website
· Press releases and notifications of events through local newspapers.
· Raising our profile through promotional material and presence at appropriate public events.
· Coordinating with Society staff to improve our communications to members and supporters.