Otago Southland staff have teamed up with the Dunedin City Council and Aukaha consultancy to create guidelines for anyone wanting to enhance or protect areas with plantings.
Heritage New Zealand Otago Southland area manager Sarah Gallagher said much of the issue was many people simply did not realise they might be illegally modifying or damaging archaeological or cultural sites by digging up the ground, or planting species with deep or invasive root systems.
"This guidance provides practical advice about how to identify sites in the planting area, who to talk to, and how to plan the planting to enhance and protect sites and avoid damaging them."
The advice had been reviewed by the Otago Regional Council, The Halo Project and the QEII National Trust.
Informative educational resources, such as the planting guide, were an important part of Heritage New Zealand’s work on climate change and environmental sustainability in matters relating to heritage, archaeology and whare Māori, and supporting decision-makers and communities to plan for a climate resilient future.
Careful selection of appropriate species would not only safeguard archaeology, but could also reduce the loss of natural materials, which threatened traditional knowledge and practices, and the ability of Māori to conserve their taonga and built heritage, she said.
"The guidance has already proved valuable in preventing site damage in a cultural landscape where there is archaeology.
"The aim is now to get the word out there about this potential issue.
"It’s about working together to achieve the best heritage outcomes for cultural landscapes and protecting archaeology while also supporting environmental restoration and contributing to climate change mitigation."
While the first resource was focused on the Dunedin area, the aim was to adapt the advice for other areas of the country, she said.
