By Anna Bensemann | Sept 22, 2021
With the RMA under scrutiny lately and a new planning framework for managing risks to the land being integrated over the next two years, it’s a good time to consider the potential environmental risks to your land and how you might best manage them.
Science understanding and recent history indicate that we are likely to experience greater climate extremes, placing pressure on land along the coastline and adjacent to waterways. Ensuring you understand the extent of flood-prone areas and potential restrictions on the use of these areas will ensure you can plan for a resilient farm. Perhaps you need to think about when you have stock in paddocks, with stock on higher ground during the winter months.
Greater climate extremes and associated weather events also mean the potential for drier periods during the summer months, and reduced access to water to service your farming needs. Preparing for climate extremes through stock water storage ensures you are in a better position to provide for a resilient farm model through dry periods.
Farmers have always made every effort to ensure that they are resilient in the face of pioneering challenges, and our approach to managing the emerging climate extreme challenge is no different. The reality is that government authorities at, the local, regional and national levels will be imposing policy directions that challenge the farming bottom line in order to achieve positive long term gains in climate change and environmental enhancement spaces. As an industry, the farming community has an opportunity to take the lead on the conversation around managing the impeding climate extremes issue, and finding palatable solutions, prior to enforcement.
While the horse may have bolted prior to these conversations on freshwater management, with government-imposed national environmental standards and policies around freshwater already in place, the conversation around the balance of farming activities is yet to be had. Our views on climate change, be them supportive or sceptical doesn’t change the fact that restrictions on how we use our land and water resources will be imposed.
The opportunity lies in how we seek to engage in the conversations, the value of our voice to demonstrate the most appropriate way forward that provides for the agricultural sectors social, cultural and economic well-being, while achieving sustainable management of our key resources including our land, air, water and soils. Without farmers engaging in the conversations with our plan makers and our decision-makers over what limitations and practical expectations they can have for the management of the land resource, decision-makers will consistently make decisions that do not sit comfortably with our farming communities.
Articles you might be interested in
- Flood Management – An Update
- What to do when you inherit land
- RMA changes are coming, are you ready?
- Ensuring Compliance with Resource Management Laws
- Minimum car parking requirements to be chopped
- Changes to Resource Management Planning Signalled in Proposed Legislation
- Proposed Selwyn District Plan - What next?
- Hazardous activities, land contamination and resource consent applications
- The Great Forestry Debate
- The impact of consent notices when purchasing land
- Good District Plan provisions save time and money
- How might Development Contributions affect you?
- Rivers, Lakes and Coastline, Public Space for All
- Selwyn District Council Changes Urban Allotment Sizes
- The dream of subdividing your land
- Outstanding Natural Features and Landscapes - effect on farming
- Historic Heritage Challenges for Landowners
- Highly Productive Soils – Big Picture Thinking vs Private Landowners Needs
- Change isn't coming, it's here!
- Indigenous Biodiversity: what does it mean for a farmer?
- What does a professional planner do?
- Your Rights as an Affected Neighbour: Navigating Development Under the RMA
- How lizards might affect your new development
- Navigating New Opportunities: The Importance of Land Development Planning in 2024
- The Role of Planning in the Climate Change - Discussion for Agriculture
- New Indigenous Biodiversity Legislation Mandates Significant Natural Area Identification
- Who Shapes our Planning Rules?
- Game changers for housing under the RMA
- Understanding Zoning and Density Rules in Selwyn
- What does your zone mean for you and your property?
- Minimum Car Parking Requirements to be Chopped
- Spotlight on District Plan Provisions
- But that’s the way we have always done it!
- Tiny Home Revolution May Not Save Costs
- With increasing density, good design matters
- Crime Prevention Through Environment Design (CPTED)
- Boundary disputes – What are they and how can you resolve them?
- Submissions to a Resource Consent by Affected Parties
- Why we have complicated septic tank disposal rules
- How to navigate Rural Land Development Under the National Policy Statement on Highly Productive Soils
- Planning Permissions – Resource Consent or Plan Change?
- Proposed Selwyn District Plan Update
- Negotiating with Neighbours Under the RMA
- A recent Baseline Group project was recognised at the 2022 Canterbury Architecture Awards
- The importance of knowing your boundaries
- District Plan in Selwyn – How will it Affect You?
- Housing Growth continues in Selwyn with Legislative Support
- The Taking of Esplanades at the Time of Subdivision
- Is it a Wetland or Not?
- Cross lease titles - an overview
- Subdividing – The Basics
- Planning Rules can Affect Property Value
- Planning land use to be resilient to natural hazards
- Tiny Homes and Granny Flats
- Rural Allotment Sizes set to Double
- Burning crop stubble on your property?
- Have your say on Development Projects
- The National Policy Statement for Natural Hazard Decision-Making and its effects on Resource Consents
- Make Your Additional Land Profitable Under the Selwyn Proposed Plan
- Land Development opportunities and times of change
- Our History - How We All Play a Part in its Protection
- How Tree Canopies Transform Neighbourhoods and Enhance Lives
- The costs of subdividing hitting Selwyn | development contributions
- Buildings under exemptions may still need resource consent
- The rise or fall of rural lifestyle blocks in the Selwyn District?
- Balancing Common Sense and Legal Process under the RMA: Protecting Communities and the Environment
- Back to Basics for the RMA Reforms
- Who Pays for Infrastructure in Greenfield Land Development?
- What does an activity status mean for your land development?
- Highly Productive Soils – Big Picture Thinking vs Private Landowners Needs
- Time matters – With Resource Consent
- State highways, noise and reverse sensitivity: what’s the buzz?
- Build-to-Rent Development in New Zealand: A Rising Trend in Housing
- A New Dawn for Granny Flats and Accessory Dwellings
- Time's up on the RMA
- Rural allotment sizes set to double in West Selwyn
- Commercial Activity in a Rural Zone – What’s the Harm?
- Managing Wastewater in Rural Canterbury: A Guide for Property Owners
- Confused by Environmental Legislation? You are Not Alone.
- Importance of Sediment Management in Land Development Projects: Simple Techniques for Effective Sediment Runoff Control
- Managing Cultural Heritage Sites
- Cross Lease Titles
- Flood Management | Changes in Selwyn
- Going for housing growth, to improve housing affordability
- A Practical Guide for District Plan Reviews
- Crunch Time For New Freshwater Legislation
- Is the RMA really the problem?
- Housing Intensification – Not for Everyone Says CCC
- Fundamental Culture Shift in New Zealand Planning Legislation.
- Councils are Increasing Residential Density, but why, who does it benefit?
- The Role of Planning in Land and Property Development
- What does The Selwyn District Plan (appeals version) mean for the planning process and consent?
- Wild Weather and Resource Consent Requirements