Chapter 2 - Natural Character 2.0 Natural Character 2.1 Introduction Section 6(a) of the Act declares as a matter of national importance: “the preservation of the natural character of the coastal environment (which includes the coastal marine area), wetlands, lakes, rivers and their margins, and the protection of them from inappropriate subdivision, use and development.” Chapter One of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement expresses ways in which the natural character of the coastal environment can be preserved. It links natural character preservation with a number of other protection matters. An example is Policy 1.1.3(a) of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement which introduces the protection of “... landscapes, seascapes and landforms ...”. While the protection of outstanding landscapes is a matter of national importance under section 6(b) of the Act, its protection will also work towards the preservation of natural character. The combination of both seeks to promote the sustainable management of natural and physical resources. Natural character can generally be described as being those characteristics (qualities and features) of a particular environment. The particular environment in the case of the Plan, is the coastal environment, freshwater environments or wetlands, lakes, rivers and their margins. The natural character of the coastal environment and freshwater bodies is comprised of a number of key elements which include: • Coastal or freshwater landforms; • Indigenous flora and fauna, and their habitats; • Water and water quality, including marine and freshwater ecosystems; • Scenic or landscape values; • Cultural heritage values; and • Habitat of trout. All parts of the Marlborough Sounds coastal and freshwater environments have some or all of these qualities and to that extent, all have some degree of natural character. The preservation of natural character and protection from inappropriate subdivision, use and development will generally be achieved by a process which addresses those identified components of natural character. By identifying and explaining the process of natural character preservation and providing an integration mechanism in this chapter, natural character can be effectively addressed. The process which addresses natural character is based on the identified components of natural character (above) and the way in which the Plan specifically manages these. In other words, a number of the policies and methods of implementation for preserving natural character are contained within other sections of the Plan. Based on the qualities or components of natural character identified above, the process is as follows. 2 - 1