University of Otago lecturer Sean Connelly looks at the Dunedin City Council's draft environment strategy.
The environment strategy, which the council has put out for consultation, is divided into three themes.
The first is ''Treasuring the environment'' which is focused on ensuring that the Dunedin community is connected to the environment and aware of how we can actively contribute to increasing our awareness and protection of the natural environment.
The second theme, ''Healthy natural environment'' places attention on protecting, restoring and enhancing the natural environment by addressing environmental threats, enhancing ecosystem services and improving the overall quality of the environment.
The final theme, ''Environment for the future'' places Dunedin's efforts in the context of global environmental challenges such as climate change and encourages us to redevelop the city in a way that minimises our global environmental impacts and supports positive environmental outcomes.
The interconnected themes and objectives of the environment strategy say a lot of the right things about the importance of a healthy environment and it can be a robust strategy to guide future decision-making in the city. However, the opportunity exists to go further, particularly in the context of food and sustainability.
Globally, we know that agriculture is one of the key drivers for a broad range of environmental problems, including loss of habitat and biodiversity, increased soil erosion and decreased soil fertility, soil and water pollution from pesticides and fertilisers and greenhouse gas emissions.
Agricultural practices can be viewed as key contributors to environmental problems. Yet at the same time, farmers and their agricultural practices will be crucial for environmental stewardship and the development of environmental solutions.
For a city such as Dunedin, with large tracts of rural agricultural land, addressing the intersection of agriculture and the environment will be critical.
For example, while we can be proud that 11% of the DCC land base is already protected for conservation and ecological purposes, what happens on the remaining 89% will be vital.
Agriculture accounts for a significant amount of that land base. For the objectives of the environment strategy to be achieved, it needs to serve a dual purpose. It needs to provide for food production and also provide ecosystem services ranging from habitat and wildlife corridors, to soil rehabilitation, stormwater retention, water purification and pest control. It could be argued that the success of future conservation efforts rests not with Doc managers or DCC planners, but rather with farmers.
Finding ways of rewarding farmers to adopt or expand sustainable agriculture and ecosystem-based food production practices should be a prominent focus of the environment strategy.
Of course, regional councils and national government have a large role to play. However, citizens and local governments around the world are making commitments to their farmers that they will support them in their shift towards more sustainable agriculture by investing in local and regional food systems; inserting local and sustainable food production criteria into procurement documents; and promoting, branding and raising awareness of local food to increase demand and support job creation through sustainable agriculture opportunities.
Strategies are long-term and aspirational. Could we aspire to be a city that supports a vibrant and environmentally sustainable food economy that connects people to the environment; protects, restores and enhances ecosystems; and positions Dunedin as a leader for environmental solutions?
• Sean Connelly is a lecturer in the University of Otago department of geography. Each week in this column, one of a panel of writers addresses issues of sustainability.
