15.5 Where to from here?

The following are key points towards implementing improved future management of the indigenous biodiversity in Northland:

· Continuation of the coordinated efforts of N-Beg is essential to maintaining and building on the groundswell of biodiversity interest in Northland. Now the groundwork has been done N-Beg can focus its efforts more strategically using information gained from the Whole of Northland Project.

· Completion of the Protected Natural Areas Programme surveys and report publishing for those ecological districts that have yet to be completed. Convert the information from the reports into a digital form where it has not already been done so that the information can be utilised in conjunction with GIS. These reports give a good baseline of biodiversity information for the region, which can be utilised in a number of ways.

· Continued refinement and development of the Northland Regional Council biodiversity database. The database ranks sites according to a range of attributes. This GIS linked database will have a range of applications as it becomes more complete, including as a planning tool and assisting to assess funding applications.

· Ongoing support, both technical advice and financial assistance, to landowners wishing to carry out biodiversity enhancement work on private land. This support acts as an incentive to land owners and acknowledges what are frequently large amounts of time and personal resources committed to projects by landowners.

· Increased biodiversity monitoring in the region. Monitoring is a means of measuring changes occurring to biodiversity in the region and can also be used to measure the success of individual enhancement or protection projects. The development of a wetland condition monitoring programme is underway. Plans are in place to develop a programme to monitor projects previously funded through the Council Environment Fund.

· Recording of all the past Environment Fund projects on the GIS system.

· Instigate a change to the Regional Policy Statement for Northland to bring the Ecosystems and Biodiversity section up to date and relevant taking into consideration the new Regional Council functions for biodiversity management and the information and resources being developed as discussed above.

· Review of the Regional Pest Management Strategies, which will be done in conjunction with the draft LTCCP process during late 2008 – early 2009.