Volume One 2. Background (d) That natural and physical resources cannot be managed without having regard to the social, economic and cultural interests of the community. (e) The need for the support of non-statutory agencies, individuals and communities. The social, economic and cultural wellbeing of our community relies on the use, development and protection of our land, water, air, soil, mineral and energy resources, plants and animals and structures. A particularly important role for the Council in achieving the social, economic and cultural wellbeing of our community is the allocation of public resources, such as water and coastal space. There is a significant degree of connection between natural resources, especially land and water resources. Many agencies share responsibility for ensuring Marlborough’s natural and physical resources are sustainably managed. Of particular note in Marlborough is that approximately 45 percent of all land is managed by the Department of Conservation (on behalf of the Crown) for conservation purposes. It is therefore important that the various authorities have a common understanding of resource issues and that the responsibility for sustainable management is shared. In the preparation of the MEP, the Council has consulted widely with other agencies involved with environmental management or involved in the use, development or protection of natural and physical resources. These include central government agencies, adjoining regional and district councils (in respect of cross-boundary issues), groups representing the interests of particular resource users or industries, and other statutory bodies. This ensures a common understanding of the sustainable management of Marlborough’s natural and physical resources, as reflected in the objectives, policies and methods contained in this document. Over time this will hopefully be reflected by consistency between the MEP and other statutory environment management documents (such as the Department of Conservation’s Conservation Management Strategy) and the day-to-day actions of the Council and others involved in the use, development and protection of natural and physical resources. The extent to which these provisions are successful in achieving integrated management will be reflected in state of the environment reporting. Marlborough District Council as a unitary authority Pursuing integrated management as a unitary authority has implications for the structure of this MEP and the Council’s resource management framework. As identified above, a regional policy statement must identify regionally significant issues. The concept of “regionally significant” is applicable for the normal structure of local government, as there are resource management issues of significance at both a regional and local scale. However, as the Council is a unitary authority the boundaries between what is regarded as a regional issue as opposed to a local one are more blurred. Many issues identified in the MEP exist because of the effects of resource use on other natural and physical resources or on other parts of the environment. The objectives that have been set in relation to these issues provide an outcome that should reflect the principle of integrated management. The Council seeks to promote an integrated approach to resolving these issues through the way in which the policies and methods are set out in Volume 1 of the MEP. Each provision is identified as a regional policy statement provision a plan provision or in many cases both. It is important to recognise that both regulatory and non-regulatory methods have a role in integrated management of natural and physical resources. One challenge is to ensure that the wider public also understand the concept of and need for integrated management. This is reflected in the range of information sharing methods set out in the MEP. The approach taken in the preparation of the second generation resource management framework for Marlborough has been to simplify the framework. Combining a regional policy statement with regional, coastal and district plans (as enabled through Section 80 of the RMA) will ensure that there is clear and concise direction on critical resource management issues. It will also ensure a user-friendly planning framework. 2 – 3