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Council rain garden at Little Shoal Bay North Shore City Subscribe to our free newsletter Your personal information will not be sold, given away or shared with anyone else. View previous newsletters Accredited member (Landscape Design) of The Landscape Industries Association of New Zealand (Landscaping New Zealand)			SUSTAINABLE GARDEN DESIGN AT LAURENSON LANDSCAPE DESIGN SUSTAINING AUCKLAND - THE ROLE OF TREES On Arbour Day, Saturday June 5 2010, I attended a seminar, Sustaining Auckland - the Role of Trees, run by The Tree Council.  The Tree Council was originally established to promote the protection, management and planting of trees in the urban environment. The first speaker, Bryan Gould, from the Notable Trees Trust, suggested that Auckland is not only a city of sails, but also a city of trees (I would add we are also a city of volcanoes). The view from the top of One Tree Hill provides ample evidence of this. We want to keep it this way, but Auckland is at risk of losing significant numbers of mature and developing trees when tree protection rules are removed from District Plans in January 2012. Pohutukawa at Buckleton Beach We all recognise that mature trees enhance our environment: house values in the leafy suburbs are significantly higher than in non-leafy suburbs; trees bring uniqueness and character to an area - what would Franklin Road be without it's magnificent plane trees, or Takapuna Beach without its pohutukawa? Trees remind us of the passing of time, the cyclical promise of nature a reminder that spring will always follow winter; trees absorb sound and pollution, and help to control stormwater runoff and erosion; trees play host to large numbers of birds and insects, aiding the biodiversity of an area; trees also have a social benefit, being both inspirational and refreshing. One suggestion was that residents and landowners should be rewarded for protecting trees and natural areas, as the whole community benefits from this action (or, rather, inaction). It was also agreed that it is important to involve landscape professionals and arborists at the start of any development, particularly where trees are involved, in order to minimise the damage to the environment. STORMWATER MANAGEMENT Sustainability is becoming more important to us every day. Here in North Shore City we have a new set of Stormwater Management rules in the District Plan: any new development in an area that discharges into sensitive streams has to include on-site mitigation for handling stormwater run-off. The aim of this is to endeavour to keep stormwater flow close to the flow that would have occurred naturally on the property prior to development. Mitigation can be in the form of rain water tanks, detention tanks, rain gardens, pervious paving and roof gardens. I'm sure it is only a matter of time before other city councils introduce similar rules into their District Plans. Excess run-off from urban development is contributing significantly to stream erosion and flooding in our cities, and to the quality of our waterways and coastal environments. However, stylishness does not need to be compromised for sustainability: a sustainable garden can be aesthetically pleasing as well as good for the environment. Find out more about us and our philosophy. STORMWATER MANAGEMENT ON YOUR PROPERTY As a home owner, you need to be aware of how activities on and around your property might affect the quality of the stormwater which flows into our waterways, streams and sea, and take the necessary precautions to ensure pollutants do not reach the stormwater system. Run-off from activities such as construction, pouring concrete, water-blasting, painting, and disposal of food waste all have the potential to harm the stormwater system and our environment. The Auckland Regional Council has some excellent Pollution factsheets online which will guide you to best practices when carrying out these activities.
P: 09 483 5621 M: 021 480 562 E: robyn@LLDesign.co.nz © Copyright Laurenson Landscape Design 2009