The figure below shows how Council intends to integrate information on the state of the environment with policy development, implementation and review. Regular reporting on the state of the District’s environment is an important part of this cycle. It provides a framework to identify together with the regional community, priority environmental issues.

 

 

Introduction to Monitoring

 

Managing Environmental Resources

 

The environment is made up of natural and physical (human-made) resources that we all rely on for our social, cultural and economic wellbeing. The Matamata-Piako District Council along with Environment Waikato and other organisations are responsible for the management of environmental resources to ensure they remain in a condition suitable for the use of future generations. This means managing them to avoid any adverse effects that result from inappropriate use and development.

 

The Council sets objectives, policies and rules in the District Plan which manage the effects of human activities on the environment. However, understanding the effects of our activities on the environment and the success of the Council's objectives, policies and rules can only be achieved through the systematic collection of relevant environmental information.

 

Monitoring the Environment

Environmental monitoring is the collection of data over time that tells us about the state of our environmental resources. Information gathered through monitoring the state of our environment is used to help determine the impact that our activities are having on the environment and the effectiveness of the Councils objectives, policies and rules for managing the environment. This allows the Council to make better and more informed decisions regarding how environmental resources should be managed.

 

Monitoring allows us to determine whether the condition of our resources is improving, remaining the same or degrading. Council monitors all of the District's significant resource management issues as defined in the district plan. These issues were developed in consultation with the community and reflect the major environmental resources in the district and the activities that affect these resources.

 

Council has developed a monitoring strategy detailing what is being monitored, how often and by whom. A copy of the strategy is available from Council.

Each resource chapter in this report uses the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) Framework to present environmental information. Each chapter contains sections that consider

• The pressures, or threats that can cause environmental effects
• The state, or condition of the environment that is affected by, or relevant to a particular resource management issue
• The responses, or actions taken by Matamata-Piako District to address the effects (or state).