Chapter 12 - Rural Environments loss of nutrients and carbon from the soil, further depleting naturally skeletal upland soils. Exposure of the soils at higher altitudes as a result of burning practices has resulted in the past in large scale scree erosion, accelerating a naturally occurring process. It is acknowledged however that burning practices have dramatically decreased and conservation practices have assisted rehabilitation of tussock grasslands in recent years. 12.3.2 Objectives and Policies Objective 1 Sustaining the life supporting capacity of the soils of the rural uplands. Policy 1.1 To promote appropriate vegetative cover and implementation of land management practices which will improve or maintain soil organic matter and soil nutrient balance by retaining the soil and avoid accelerated soil loss through erosion. Policy 1.2 To encourage land uses and land management practices which are appropriate for the high country environment. Policy 1.3 To avoid, remedy or mitigate the adverse effects of burning practice within the upland environment. Policy 1.4 To recognise the voluntary retirement of pastoral leases having high conservation or landscape values. The objective seeks to ensure that rural uplands are managed in such a way as to sustain the life supporting capacity of the soil, including the maintenance of robust, diverse and intact vegetation cover. The policies reflect the Council’s concern that there may be some areas where the continuing loss of vegetation cover, through for example the spread of hieracium, may give rise to adverse environmental consequences. The Council believes that the maintenance of a healthy vegetative cover is essential to protect the soil in order to meet the reasonably foreseeable needs of future generations. 12.3.3 Issue Reduction/damage to the ecological values of the upland environment. The uplands often support large continuous natural areas and are home to areas of significant indigenous vegetation and habitats of significant indigenous fauna. Within these areas plant and animal diversity is unique. The widespread removal and modification of the original vegetation cover, easily eroded soil and rock types, slow recovery in the high altitude climate and major exotic biota and indigenous invasive weed and pest competition has produced widespread loss of habitat. Within this setting the areas of remaining forest and well developed shrubland and plant communities are ecologically important. 12 - 11