Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan 2.1.1 Coastal or Freshwater Landforms Examples of landform include tidal estuaries, dune formations, coastal cliffs, and bays and inlets. The Plan addresses adverse impacts on landform by incorporating controls on land disturbance and alteration to the foreshore and seabed. Refer to Chapter 13: Soil Conservation and section 9.4: Alteration to the Foreshore and Seabed. 2.1.2 Indigenous Flora and Fauna and their Habitats Important vegetation and animals and habitats are incorporated into ‘areas of significant ecological value’ and policies to protect these are provided in Chapter 4: Indigenous Flora and Fauna and Their Habitats. 2.1.3 Water and Water Quality Water management issues and water quality are addressed in Chapter 3: Freshwater and section 9.3.1: Coastal Marine Water Quality. The achievement of the policies in these sections and the implementation of the relevant rules in Volume Two will also contribute to the preservation of natural character. 2.1.4 Scenic or Landscape Values Scenic or landscape values are essentially people’s appreciation of the visual qualities of a particular area. Protection of visual qualities is provided in Chapter 5 Landscape and throughout a number of other chapters of the Plan (eg Open Space, and Rural and Urban Environments). 2.1.5 Cultural Heritage Values Cultural heritage values include historic places of early settlement and sites of significance to iwi. Policies to manage Tangata Whenua and heritage values are contained within Chapter 6 and rules to protect specific heritage resources are contained in Volume Two. The protection of the individual elements of natural character will go towards preserving the natural character of the coastal and freshwater environments and protecting them from inappropriate subdivision, use and development. In addition to protecting those elements which contribute to natural character, it is important to address the cumulative effects of subdivision, use and development. Also, the irreversible adverse effects on natural character of some types of subdivision, use, and development need to be addressed. In such cases remedying or mitigating the change brought about by such activity can be complex. This creates difficulties for ensuring the protection of natural character, which can only be assessed on a case by case basis. The policies which follow allow for this. 2.1.6 The Framework for Natural Character Knowledge of the biophysical and ecological aspects of the above elements has been used to describe the overall natural character and to classify and map the Marlborough Sounds area into management units, known as Natural Character Areas. These classifications are based on a range of biophysical and ecological parameters, relating to collective characteristics, landforms, geological features, dynamic features and processes including climate, water, predominant 2 - 2