MEDIA RELEASE

3 July 2003

Committee endorses ‘Greening the city’ strategy

Auckland City Council’s City Development Committee today endorsed a draft ‘Greening the city’ strategy which will see an extra $75,000 go into enhancing the city’s green spaces and overall natural environment.

Councillor Juliet Yates, City Development Committee chairperson, described the strategy as an important step towards future-proofing the city’s natural setting.

“As Auckland continues to grow, along with addressing issues such as transport and provision of appropriate infrastructure, we need to take steps to ensure we protect and enhance the city’s green environment. After all, that’s what makes Auckland and New Zealand unique,” she says.

A further $75,000 of funding was approved at last week’s Combined Committee’s meeting for the advancement of four specific ‘Greening the city’ schemes in the 2003-2004 financial year:
- ‘Friends of the forest’ – the establishment of a network of advisors and supporters to guide the city in its enhancement of urban greenery and trees
- ‘Greening the gaps’ – additional street and park tree planting programmes
- wildlife corridors – management, restoration and enhancement of key corridors such as walkways, motorways, corridors of new development and the city’s streams and coastline.
- further initiatives to protect the marine environment.

“This major initiative provides the framework to bring together a range of efforts already in place – all with the objective to enhancing our unique and natural urban setting,” said Councillor Yates.

The strategy highlights ways in which local communities can play an active role in protecting and enhancing the local natural environment.

“The ‘Greening the city’ strategy is about establishing effective partnerships between the council, local communities, businesses and individuals, with the objective of us all having a role to play in sustaining our natural environment,” said Councillor Yates.

The draft strategy will be developed into a discussion document for presentation and consultation with community boards, interest groups and the general public. The final strategy will then go to the council for adoption.

Ends

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