Spatial dimensions of New Zealand's environmental management. (1st August 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McNeill, Jeffrey; Cheyne, Christine; Summers, Rachel
• Is Part Of: New Zealand geographer. Volume 69:Number 2(2013:Aug.)
• Page Start: 136
• Page End: 149
• Publication Date: 2013-08-01
• Subjects: environmental management -- land classification -- regional government -- spatial definition; Geography -- Periodicals; New Zealand -- Description and travel -- Periodicals; 910
• DOI: 10.1111/nzg.12016
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0028-8144

Abstract

Abstract: New Zealand's regional council boundaries drawn as part of the 1989 local government reforms privilege integrated catchment management. This privilege is now challenged by calls to both fragment and amalgamate councils and centralise decision‐making but with little analytic assessment of the spatial differentiation to support them. The spatial underpinnings of these calls were explored using a case study that assessed the spatial dimensions of environment management. Analysis of the Land Environments and River Environment Classification databases and councils' planning documents highlights challenges local governments face in applying integrated natural resource management within single purpose jurisdictions and implications for wider sustainable development policy.