Council’s Landslide Susceptibility and Connectivity Model will soon be applied to land use planning in Tairāwhiti. This is part of the work underway to improve forestry and farming practices across the region.

The model, completed by Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, aims to identify which areas have a high likelihood of landslides occurring and the likelihood that these landslides will affect our waterways.

It will play an important role in shaping land use rules across the region.

The model will help inform the Land Overlay 3B, an extension of the current land overlay framework in the Tairāwhiti Resource Management Plan (TRMP).

Land Overlay 3B will identify the worst eroding land across the region, which will need to transition out of plantation forestry and/or pastoral farming and into permanent vegetation cover.

Gisborne District Council Executive Nedine Thatcher Swann emphasised the importance of this data.

“This marks the beginning of more accurate identification and management of erosion risks across Tairāwhiti.

“The model utilises advanced technology and builds on previous regional research,” says Ms. Thatcher Swann.

“It analyses where landslides occur and their potential to impact waterways, drawing on data collected across the region.”

As a part of this work, Council remains committed to working with tangata whenua, landowners, and communities before confirming which land falls into Overlay 3B and proposing options for land management in Land Overlay 3B.

The Landslide Susceptibility and Connectivity Model is now publicly accessible on our website link.

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