Chapter 4 - Indigenous Flora and Fauna Support Support and assist in the setting up of marine reserves in appropriate locations. Support landowners’ voluntary protection of indigenous vegetation through covenants. Land Acquisition The Council will consider acquiring sites with outstanding ecological values where land purchase is the only means available for protection of those values. This will include the Council accepting land as reserve fund contributions, where appropriate. The Council will also encourage other agencies to do this. Research The Council will encourage ongoing research to define significant ecological areas. Incentives Provide incentives to landowners to encourage protection of significant sites. Incentives may include: • Waiver of resource consent application fees for the activities with the potential to affect ecologically significant areas, as shown in Volume Three, and/or • Waiver or reduction of development contributions where developments, including subdivisions, will achieve protection or rehabilitation of an ecologically significant area, as shown in Volume Three, and/or • Through the annual planning process, consider granting reductions in rating for properties where sites are protected through conservation covenants. The rules relating to areas identified as having significant ecological value will work towards protecting the extensive conservation worth of the Marlborough Sounds. Land acquisition is not always a viable method of protecting ecological values, nor is it generally necessary. However, it does provide an important back stop. Education will improve the community’s understanding and respect for ecological values. 4.5 Anticipated Environmental Results Implementation of the policies and methods relating to indigenous vegetation and the habitats of indigenous fauna will result in: • Maintenance and enhancement of population numbers and distribution of rare and endangered species; • Maintenance of the diversity of land and water habitats; and • Good stocks of native fish and trout in fresh surface waters normally inhabited by these fish. 4 5