Matakana Island to remain a taonga

Matakana Island’s forest part has been deemed extremely important from a landscape perspective. File photo.

The Western Bay of Plenty District Council is pleased with the outcome of the recent Environment Court decision confirming the forested part of Matakana Island as ‘extremely important' from a landscape perspective, and should be protected from development.

Matakana Island is known for its pristine beach, which is 22 kilometres long without buildings.

It is a vista enjoyed by the wider community when viewed from the mainland, harbour, open coast, Bowentown Heads and Mauao.

The decision brings to a close a long process that began in 2009 when the council sought to include in its district plan tighter development controls to recognise the ecological, environmental and cultural significance of the Island.

In 2014 Bay of Plenty Regional Council (which is responsible for the type of activity that can take place in coastal and harbour areas and their margins) also sought to increase the level of environmental protection by notifying in the Regional Coastal Environment Plan that the whole of the forested sand barrier of Matakana Island was to be classified as an Outstanding Natural Feature and Landscape.

The decision was to protect a strip along the open coast with no landscape controls on the remainder.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council lodged an appeal with the court seeking to increase this protection and have it apply to the whole of the barrier part of the island.

The court decision to formally extend the levels of environmental protection for Matakana Island from inappropriate development is important for the wider Western Bay community and Matakana Islanders.

The decision also reinforces the position of the island as a treasure in the Western Bay of Plenty.

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3 comments

Great intentions !

Posted on 18-09-2017 21:28 | By The Caveman

But, NOTHING keeps the sea out. Have a look at Waihai Beach, Kapiti Beach, to name a couple. OH and for the last 50 years the "tide" has been washing away the harbour side of Matakana Island for the last 60 years - just check the pine trees that are in the tide.............


Ouch

Posted on 19-09-2017 10:14 | By overit

And remember global warming. Sea levels rising.


Fascinating alright

Posted on 19-09-2017 12:18 | By Papamoaner

I once found a sedimentary layer of sea shells (resembling Tuatua) in a sandbank high up in the Kaimanawas, about halfway along the track between Ngamatea Station and Golden Hills hut. They weren't maori kai remnants either - it was a sediment layer, and anyway they would have had to carry them on a 10 hour tramp. That was around 1968. The sea taketh and the sea giveth back as they say, but it evidently takes millions of years. Maybe we have just passed one of the two sinusoidal turning points and are now on the beginning of the steep part of the curve. WATCH OUT human race! Makes us think doesn't it, because climate change sometimes looks like it's synchronous with social decay. Starting to look that way about now from where I'm standing.


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