Natural Environment

Andy Foster — Vote #1 for Council

ONSLOW-WESTERN

Environment

It’s been a team effort though with huge commitment from many many Wellingtonians who care. You have spent many hours advocating for the environment, and getting your hands dirty to make a difference. Thank you and congratulations.

On Council I’ve chaired the Works and Environment committee from 1995-8, the Environment and Recreation committee from 1998-2001, and the Built and Natural Environment committee. I’m now responsible for improving the location and quality of urban development.

I’ve been involved in Karori Sanctuary from day one, was a member of the original steering committee, a foundation trustee, and am now Council’s representative on the Trust. I’ve been a volunteer guide and bird feeder throughout.

When I can I help with various volunteer groups planting and weeding.

I’m a member of the Wellington Conservation Board.

Wellington has just 1% of it’s original indigenous forest cover left. 15 years ago our Outer Green Belt was essentially just Wrights Hill, Johnstons Hill and Khandallah Park with Otari and Huntleigh Park Bush below it. The Town Belt was only 2/3rds of its original size. We had no pest control programme. There were very few active community organisations.

In my 15 years as your councillor we’ve doubled the amount of land owned as reserve by Council to 3500 hectares.

· The Outer Green Belt is continuous from the South Coast to Johnsonville.

· We’ve returned Tinakori Hill and the Chest Hospital (Newtown) to the Town Belt.

· We commenced a citywide programme of possum control in 1993 beginning in Otari. Miramar peninsula is possum free and possums citywide reduced to very low levels.

· We plant 100,000 trees per annum.

· We support over 40 community groups who are actively involved in looking after these special areas.

· We have the iconic Karori Sanctuary. What other Parliament has a wildlife Sanctuary within 5 minutes ?

· We’ve improved facilities at Otari-Wilton’s Bush with the aerial walkway, alpine garden, visitor centre and upgrade of Troup Picnic area

· Makara Peak Supporters with support from Council have created a fantastic mountain biking facility.

· We have New Zealand’s best city track system by far !

· We’ve extensively greened the inner city and improved suburban greening

· We’ve instituted environmental grants to support enviro-schools and community groups like Makara Peak Supporters, Otari Wiltons Bush Trust and Ngaio Gorge – Trellisick Park working group.

· On the South Coast in 1998 the new sewage treatment plant cleaned up what successive Councils had failed to deal with for decades.

That’s made possible:

· A new Marine Reserve that’s been the product of 10 years hard work by community groups. It will be gazetted in November.

· Sinking HMNZS frigate Wellington (F69) in 2005 as a dive attraction.

· Plans for a Marine Education Centre.

Looking forward my aspirations include:

· Completing the Outer Green Belt from Johnsonville to Colonial Knob

· A network of green areas and streams throughout the Northern Growth area

· Increased re-vegetation work

· Improved quality of information on our natural environment

· A carbon sink including Council land and marginal farmland. Council’s reserve network could be a carbon sink of sufficient size to offset Council’s emissions.

· Increased pest control of weeds and a wider range of animal pests

· Removal of wild goats, pigs and deer from the Makara-Terawhiti area to prevent constant re-infestation of the Outer Green Belt.

· Providing more support for ‘Friends’ groups and encouraging establishment of more groups.

· Upgrade and development of new tracks including Skyline to Colonial Knob, Kaiwharawhara Sanctuary to Sea, Newlands-Ngauranga, Karori stream, Otari to Makara.

· An overnight coastal trail

· More greening of the Central City and suburban centres. We’ve continued to make very good progress over the last three years. The most obvious are the Aotea Quay median tree planting and completion of Waitangi Park, but there have been a large number of small greening improvements throughout the city. We are now working with Government on a Memorial Park in front of the Carrilion. Kerry and I have suggested Taranaki Street (probably currently the least attractive street in the CBD) should also have trees planted in due course. Extending the boulevard towards the Stadium and improving the entry for cruise ship passengers is also on the plans. Incidentally the Aotea Quay work was on time and under budget.

Click here for more on Climate Change

Natural Environment and Climate Change

Restoring our natural environment has been my passion!

I’m proud to have been the primary political champion of much of the massive change that’s occurred in our city’s natural environment. Cr Celia Wade Brown, Cr John Gilberthorpe until 1996, and Cr Ray Ahipene-Mercer have also been constant champions for the environment.

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