THURSDAY WORKSHOPS

A RMLA Conference staple: This workshop will provide attendees with an overview of and the opportunity to discuss recent and significant cases involving key environmental and resource management matters.

With replacement of the RMA underway, MfE is keen to hear practitioners’ perspectives of how the system could work. Situated just after the MfE update on the replacement bill, this workshop will explore some of the building blocks of the new system.

Cultural values, cultural landscapes and sites of significance are part of what makes New Zealand unique. Resource management is inherently connected to our country’s cultural values, so how can we recognise those values and landscapes and protect our historical heritage and culture while continuing to provide for current and future generations? With resource management reform looking to make the line between heritage and resource management firmer what challenges will this present and how can we overcome these and look to positive futures?

Spatial planning and combined plans are nothing new, spatial elements are inherent in all our existing plans and several regions have combined plans. As the Government progresses its resource management reforms what are the lessons that have already been learned that we can utilise to help ease transitions? What are the opportunities that can be leveraged to make our plans fit to tackle natural hazards and climate change and ensure the resources that our economy and wellbeing are founded on are also resilient and are available for future generations? Times of change are unsettling and there is temptation to cling to the status quo, but change provides growth and opportunity, let’s explore the lessons we have learned from those that have already stepped into change.

This workshop will take one natural hazard, wildfire, and look to discuss how our changing climate will affect their frequencies and scale and explore options to reduce harm and build resilience for our communities and environment in the future. Recent data from Stats NZ Tatauranga Aotearoa shows Blenheim as having the highest average number of very high or extreme fire danger days per year for 30 sites monitored between 2014 and 2023. What could we expect our wildfire future to look like and how can we respond?