We are proposing a new Regenerative Land Zoning that encourages landowners to protect, regenerate and possibly share the land they are guardians of.

Context: the situation in Wānaka

In our district, urban growth is transforming the small town we love and pushing nature further and further away, decreasing inhabitants wellbeing and tourism appeal.

The urban area already stretches 10km from Bills Way to Albert Town bridge, which requires everyone to hop in a car to go anywhere, work, shopping, hobbies…

In 2023, we have to consider the climate, biodiversity and cost of living crises. To adapt, we need:

• Connected pathways for commuting and recreation biking and walking
• Plenty of trees and nature, 30% of land and water left to nature by 2030
• Local food production

These 3 simple points enable low carbon living, good for nature and wellbeing, good for resilience and affordability. And it’s aligned to the QLDC Vision beyond 2050 principles:

Green belts exist on private land

The new subdivisions are now well beyond initially planned green belts and reserves.

Nature is pushed further and further away from the people. But in a sustainable resilient low carbon society, we do need nature and space for food production on our doorstep, not half an hour drive away.

Urban development is creeping on rural lifestyle areas, bulldozing them. Have a look at Orchard Road. It doesn’t have to be that way.

On many lifestyle properties in town and adjacent to town, landowners have planted trees and enhanced biodiversity on the land they are owners and guardians of. They are givers not takers. Kaitiakitanga. Thank you for having planted trees, established trees are treasures🙏 Taonga.

The current rules and price of land mean that when these creators sell, the land is chopped off with all the life on it. A simple optional new land zoning could prevent that.

Innovative Regenerative Land Zoning

We are proposing a regenerative land zoning, allowing landowners to voluntarily secure their land for perpetuity, providing they enhance biodiversity and/or the community.

The land can be sold with the same conditions.

The owners can choose how they want to regenerate: planting trees, native or not, restoring or creating wetlands, planting orchards for local food, planting fast growing well managed forests for local timber and firewood…

And the owners can choose whether they share it with the public or not, or which part of it. For example a strip along the road can be made into a bike lane; a grove of trees can be open as a park for the public; an orchard can be open for a time for locals to harvest; a land can be gardened by community groups or as plots…

It already happens. A few enlightened and generous landowners are already offering their land for the greater good.

A regenerative land zoning would foster green belts connections. It would create a network of biodiversity and community enhancing parks and corridors. Tracks through these corridors would enable low carbon transport. Food would be produced locally for resilience and affordability, and nature would be accessible for everyone with all its biodiversity and wellbeing benefits. Win-win-win.

Steps

I have shared the idea for two years, in emails to local influencers, including all the Councilors, several times. I have talked with many Council staff, I have presented it to several community groups and in the tourism sector, even prompting a standing ovation (at the WAO Regenerative Tourism hui October 2022). It IS a great idea with huge desirable benefits for all, thriving nature, resilient community and cheap for the Council.

Now is the time to sit around a table and make it happen.

Let’s start with the pioneers who have already created something beautiful which is at stake of being destroyed by growth. Let’s start with the landowners who already regenerate and share (or wish to).

What would encourage landowners to participate is yet to be discussed and finetuned, from rebate to maintenance or simply protection.

The Council is the entity capable of creating a land zoning and I am talking at a Council meeting on the 10th August to invite them to start the process. LWT, WAO, WAI, UCTT, Te Kakano, are invited in the discussion and action.

The innovative land zoning protects what we already have and deploys it to an exciting collective creation that, we all agree, would be great.

From landtaker to landmaker; From land management to guardianship; From $growth$ first to Nature first: a mindshift is happening.

To go deeper… here are 4 documents with more details.

Please contact us for any further information, if you are interested in participating, contributing, or if you know of similar public/private regenerative schemes in New Zealand and the world.