Draft of city biodiversity strategy out mid-month

Mo tatou, a, mo ka uri a muri ake nei – For us and our children after us.

Christchurch residents will soon be invited to comment on what needs to be done to conserve and restore our city’s unique biodiversity (plants and animals) for future generations.

Christchurch City Council’s draft biodiversity strategy opens for submissions on 14 July, making us one of the first cities in the country to formally contribute towards the goals of the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy.

Biodiversity is the array of life that occurs on planet earth. Do you have a pet at home, work in an office with pot plants, or have a picture of animals or plants?

Do you take your children to Orana Park or the Botanic Gardens, or perhaps walk on the Port Hills? If you have done any of those things then you are recognising the value of biodiversity. Even when we top up with petrol we are using fossil fuel derived from biodiversity that lived millions of years ago. Biodiversity is like an enormous bank account to which all of us have access.

Christchurch’s Biodiversity Strategy outlines visions for what can be achieved in our city; some of the reasons why biodiversity is important; and why biodiversity is important to Ngai Tahu. It also describes the wild plants and animals of Christchurch; issues that they face and proposes an action plan for nurturing our biodiverse city.

• Copies of the draft will be available from City Council Service Centres/ Libraries and from 4th Floor reception at the Tuam Street Civic Offices from 14 July. The Strategy will also be available for viewing and submissions at www.ccc.govt.nz/haveyoursay