We need a new vision for Auckland’s regional parks

Next week about 200 citizens will be presenting submissions to the Auckland Council hearing panel, on the 500-page Draft Auckland Regional Parks management plan.

It’s all part of the democratic process to involve all people in the use and protection of these commons. The submission process is complex, there are challenges, and the draft raises many questions.

Regional parks are the larger part of public open spaces and parks that provide for recreation and conservation for future generations in Tāmaki Makaurau. The 28 regional parks stretch over 40,000 hectares of open space and include more than 220km of coastline, providing a wide diversity of recreation, landscape, and conservation functions.

Auckland Council operates one of the largest grazing operations in the region with more than 20 farms to provide this recreation and landscape environment.

It provides access to some of the region’s best beaches as well as baches and campsites to book. These started to be established post-World War II when the Crown failed to provide the necessary public open space for a growing Auckland.

There are challenges today, not only dealing with growing use but also limiting walking access to protect kauri from disease.

Of greater note, there is climate change, with the beach at Wenderholm Regional Park possibly vanishing as sea level rises. Access to the parks is mainly restricted to those with private vehicles, so will public transport address these inequities?

In addition, increasing numbers of Aucklanders require more park activities, which range from 4-wheel driving to remote tramping experiences. Therefore, the parks cannot provide for all demands and some activities will be prohibited or restricted.

Co-governance is not being considered in the Draft Plan although Mutukaroa, Hamlins Hill Regional Park, the most visible regional park from the southern motorway, is already under a cogovernance relationship. (Mutukaroa has not been included in the draft plan due to delays in Treaty settlement).

Co-management of regional parks is rightly included in the draft plan but in what form and will mana whenua have the resources to do this?

Management plans are intended to address these issues and come to a community consensus. They are intended to bring people along on the journey in the use and care of these commons.

Park management plans have been around for decades, however there is a trend towards complexity and generalised policies. For example, in the Plan it is intended that “demand management” practices will be applied without clear community consultation.

The history of generalised policies in management plans in the Integrated Management Plan for the maunga of Tāmaki Makaurau is presently being played out in the Supreme Court at the cost nearly a million dollars of community and ratepayer money.

Then there is the case of the controversial memorial in Dove Myer Robinson Park where there was no management plan but a national directive taking over a local type of park.

There is a raft of other management plans being formed in Auckland. Local boards have yet to form their own generalised plans for local and neighbourhood parks in a financial climate where some are being sold.

In addition, there are the management plans for the DoC reserves and the Hauraki Maritime Gulf.

Then there are popular nongovernment parks such as Cornwall Park with its own plan.

Citizens need to be brought on a journey focused more on a broad vision of all our open space and parks. This will highlight how they are being integrated or managed and help in getting community support and consensus.

A proposal from Sir Peter Gluckman on a “National Park City” approach may be the answer. Perhaps new models of governance and management based around a kaitiaki/ranger and grassroots community service is needed.

Overall leadership is needed and not top-down bureaucratic and costly management plans, as we have at present, but starting from the roots of each park.

This will take time and requires more leadership, as Dame Anne Salmon said in her excellent discussion on cogovernance and democracy.

We need “a new look at more egalitarian, participatory approaches” and to bring all people of Auckland and Aotearoa along on the journey.

Kit Howden has been an advocate for public parks and nature for many decades. He is a committee member of the Friends of Regional Parks and active with other park groups.