6: Natural Character Volume One has a significant influence on the level of natural character that exists in the coastal environment and in and adjacent to freshwater bodies. Some environments will have high natural character due to the lack of human-induced modification and may even be in a natural state. In other areas, there will be little remaining natural character due to extensive human-induced modification of the environment. Preservation of natural character is a matter of national importance and there is a real risk that further human-induced modification within coastal or freshwater environments will have adverse effects. This risk is greatest in unmodified environments, as it is more likely that subdivision, use and development will change the existing natural elements, patterns, processes and experiential qualities. As the degree of existing human-induced modification in the coastal or freshwater environment increases, so too does the ability of the environment to assimilate change into the components that contribute to natural character. Even in areas with low overall natural character, components of high natural character may remain and the protection of this natural character from inappropriate subdivision, use and development may still be important to the local community, wider public and intrinsically. These areas could also become the focus of restoration efforts. [RPS] Objective 6.1 – Establish the degree of natural character in the coastal environment, and in lakes and rivers and their margins. Marlborough’s coastal and freshwater environments are diverse, reflecting a range of landforms and landscapes, natural processes and characteristics, and biodiversity. The degree of human- induced modification in our coastal environment and in our wetlands, lakes and rivers also varies significantly. Some areas are in a relatively natural state, while others have been significantly modified as a result of human activity. This variation explains why it is necessary to establish the degree of natural character in coastal and freshwater environments. Achieving this objective will assist in establishing which activities are inappropriate in the context of Section 6(a) of the RMA. The natural character of wetlands has been established through an integrated process of assessing wetland values. Provisions to preserve the natural character of wetlands are included in Chapter 8 - Indigenous Biodiversity. [RPS] Policy 6.1.1 – Recognise that the following natural elements, patterns, processes and experiential qualities contribute to natural character: (a) areas or water bodies in their natural state or close to their natural state; (b) coastal or freshwater landforms and landscapes (including seascape); (c) coastal or freshwater physical processes (including the natural movement of water and sediments); (d) biodiversity (including individual indigenous species, their habitats and communities they form); (e) biological processes and patterns; (f) water flows and levels and water quality; and (g) the experience of the above elements, patterns and processes, including unmodified, scenic and wilderness qualities. This policy describes those matters considered to contribute to the natural character of coastal and river environments. This provides MEP users with a clear understanding of the meaning of natural character. 6 – 2 20170613110600 33498 DEBUG output/bookmarks.c: line 179: failed to get page number 355 cmd='/usr/bin/pdf2htmlEX' z-marlborough-district-council/june-2017/proposed-marlborough-environment-plan-volume-1/publication/contents/media-html/pages/385/original.pdf s.xml