Chapter 13 - Open Space/ Recreation 13.0 Open Space/Recreation 13.1 Introduction The management of reserve land in terms of Resource Management Act (the Act) requirements (ie, sustainable management) is the subject of this section of the Plan. Integrated management of the resources contained within reserve land comes under the control of the Conservation Act 1987 and the Reserves Act 1977. The general intent of this Plan is not to repeat management processes but to only pick up those matters requiring control under the Act which are not covered under other legislation. Generally the types of activities and consequently the acceptable effects within a reserve are those indicated by management plans under the above legislation. (For example, in the case of Department of Conservation land, the Conservation Management Strategy for the Nelson/ Marlborough Conservancy.) This Plan seeks to provide for these activities while managing adverse effects. The Plan therefore only looks at the management of: • Any off-site effects of land uses, extending beyond the boundary of the reserve area; • Significant on-site effects of activities such as discharges, water takes, and disturbance to the beds of lakes and rivers; and • The effects on reserve values of activities on neighbouring lands. Open space and recreation areas serve a wide variety of functions within the Wairau/ Awatere area. Most areas of reserve and publicly owned land fulfil one or more of the functions outlined below: • Visual amenity (e.g. gardens, areas of indigenous vegetation, landscape views); • Children’s play (e.g. playground equipment, neighbourhood parks); • Active sports (e.g. team sports, physical fitness, water sports, golf, tramping); • Passive use of open space (e.g. picnicking); • Access (e.g. especially to the coast, waterways and the high country); • Linkages (e.g. walking tracks, cycleways); • Built facilities (e.g. halls, clubrooms, pre-schools, swimming pools, libraries); • Historic sites and features; • Conservation (e.g. ecological values, water margins, wetland, indigenous habitats, fauna and flora); • Public utilities (e.g. toilets, reticulated services); • Commercial opportunities (e.g. rafting, four wheel drive tours). Open space varies in terms of its significance to residents and visitors. Some areas will have only local significance while others will assume regional, national or even international significance. Recreational trends and preferences are continually changing. Aside from recreational preferences which are reflected in the existing provision for reserves there are some distinct trends which are of note: 13 - 1