Identifying areas of outstanding natural features and landscapes at a regional scale.

Canterbury is one of the largest and most diverse regions of New Zealand holding a variety of landscapes. Environment Canterbury (ECAN) commissioned a report that aimed to identify areas of outstanding natural features and landscapes (ONF/Ls) at a regional scale throughout Canterbury.

As part of the study, Boffa Miskell undertook a review of the Outstanding Natural Landscapes and Significant Landscapes identified initially in the Canterbury Regional Landscape Study (1993) in order to inform Environment Canterbury’s assessment of their Regional Policy Statement.

Location

Canterbury

Project team

Yvonne Pflüger

Project date

2014

Awards

Distinction Award | Landscape Planning and Environmental Studies | NZILA Resene Pride of Place Landscape Architecture Awards

It is a comprehensive, technical, peer-reviewed update of the 1993 study, which was one of the first regional landscape analyses completed in response to the 1991 Resource Management Act. A number of maps illustrate geomorphological and landscape character information in a way that is easy to read and understand.

The focus of the study is on large-scale landscape patterns that are able to be distinguished at a regional level, rather than site-specific analysis.

This review and updates built upon the methods used in 1993 to reflect current best practices in landscape assessment. It is intended to provide a basis for informing further detailed landscape studies in the region. Where the study team identified discrepancies between the ONL areas identified in the 1993 study and the values identified in 2010, recommendations were made on possible changes to these boundaries.

The study was used by ECAN to inform the landscape chapter of the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement which Boffa Miskell also provided planning services for.

The study and RPS chapter withstood the scrutiny of the RPS hearing process and the findings were adopted in 2012.