Brooklands Lagoon Area Parks Master and Management Plans approved

A master plan and management plans for the special natural environment of the Brooklands Lagoon/Te Riu o Te Aika Kawa area have been approved by the Christchurch City Council.

The master plan promotes the integrated management of the Brooklands Lagoon area as a premier coastal regional park.

The government bodies with a role in this management are the Council, Department of Conservation and Environment Canterbury. Ngai Tahu, as tangata whenua for the area, has a recognised interest and role in the management of the values of the area that are important to Maori.

Terry Howes, Asset and Network Planning Manager, says that by adopting the plan the Council has indicated its willingness to further investigate proposals to enhance and protect this unique environment, noting that "there is a lot of work still to be done to investigate and implement the key proposals in the plan."

Some of the identified proposals include:

• The protection, restoration and enhancement of natural features of the Brooklands Lagoon estuary and surrounds

• Development of the 10 hectare central pond area in Spencer Park, including plantings and pathways

• A mountain bike track from Bottle Lake Forest Park to the Waimakariri River Regional Park

• Maori naming, and involvement of Ngai Tahu, in the development of amenities.

The Brooklands Lagoon area is bound by the Waimakariri River to the north, Bottle Lake Forest Park to the south, the Styx River/Puharakekenui to the west and the sea to the east.

The management plans for Spencer Park and Seafield Park are statutory documents that set management policy for the Council to work with.

Spencer Park and Seafield Park are key components of the Brooklands Lagoon/Te Riu o Te Aika Kawa area that are protected by legislation for their values of scenic natural open space, freely accessible by the public.

Spencer Park is a traditional family outing destination on the perimeter of Christchurch.

Seafield Park is a scenic, natural landscape on the fringe of the ecologically rich Brooklands Lagoon.

Howes adds "the challenge of managing this whole area is to ensure the recreational, natural and heritage values are protected in light of its increasing use."

The plans will soon be available online on http://www.ccc.govt.nz