76 Boffa Miskell Ltd | Waihi North Project| Landscape and Visual Effects | The policy context, existing landscape resource and locations from which a development or change is visible, all inform the ‘baseline’ for landscape and visual effects assessments. To assess effects, the first step requires identification of the landscape’s character and values including the attributes on which such values depend. This requires that the landscape is first described, including an understanding of relevant physical, sensory and associative landscape dimensions. This process, known as landscape characterisation, is the basic tool for understanding landscape character and may involve subdividing the landscape into character areas or types. The condition of the landscape (i.e. the state of an individual area of landscape or landscape feature) should also be described together with, a judgement made on the value or importance of the potentially affected landscape. Natural Character Effects In terms of the RMA, natural character specifically relates to the coastal environment, freshwater bodies and their margins however no definition of natural character is provided. RMA, section 6(a) considers natural character as a matter of national importance: …the preservation of the natural character of the coastal environment (including the coastal marine area), wetlands, and lakes and rivers and their margins, and the protection of them from inappropriate subdivision, use, and development. In this context, natural character is understood as comprising of the natural elements, patterns and processes of the coastal environment, waterbodies and their margins, and how they are perceived and experienced. This assessment interprets natural character as being the degree of naturalness consistent with the following definition: Natural character is a term used to describe the naturalness of waterbodies and their margins. The degree or level of natural character depends on: • The extent to which natural elements, patterns and processes occur; • The nature and extent of modifications to the ecosystems and landscape/seascape; • The highest degree of natural character (greatest naturalness) occurs where there is least modification; and • The effect of different types of modification upon the natural character of an area varies with the context and may be perceived differently by different parts of the community. The process to assess natural character involves an understanding of the many systems and attributes that contribute to waterbodies and their margins, including biophysical and experiential factors. This can be supported through the input of technical disciplines such as marine, aquatic and terrestrial ecology, and landscape architecture. Defining the level of natural character The level of natural character is assessed in relation to a seven-point scale. The diagram below illustrates the relationship between the degree of naturalness and degree of modification. A high level of natural character means the waterbody is less modified and vice versa. Scale of assessment When defining levels of natural character, it is important to clearly identify the spatial scale considered. The scale at which natural character is assessed will typically depend on the study area or likely impacts and nature of a proposed development. Within a district or region-wide study, assessment scales may be divided into broader areas which consider an overall section of coastline or river with similar Very High High Moderate - High Moderate Moderate - Low Low Very Low Degree of modification Degree of Naturalness
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