18 Table 4: EIANZ criteria for level of ecological effect (EIANZ 2018). Magnitude Ecological Value Very High High Moderate Low Very High Very High Very High High Moderate High Very High Very High Moderate Low Moderate Very High High Moderate Very Low Low Moderate Low Low Very Low Negligible Low Very Low Very Low Very Low 6.6 Effects Management We have applied the ‘effects management hierarchy’ to the impacts of the proposed WNP (EIANZ, 2018). The effects management hierarchy outlines the order of priority for ecological impact management as: a. Avoid. b. Remedy. c. Mitigate5. d. Offset. e. Compensate. f. And any supporting actions. Our approach to providing an environmental outcome for all of the project components has been one of integrating and aggregating the mitigation and offsets to maximise positive environmental outcomes. Our recommended integrated environmental effects management strategy provides for mitigation to be aggregated in specific locations within the OGNZL land ownership or where agreements exist with neighbouring landowners Our strategy thus prevents a ‘patchy’ mitigation approach (whereby mitigation effort is dotted at irregular locations) and prefers a concentrated mitigation effort at selected locations. In addition, our integrated mitigation strategy has sought to enhance the ecological connectivity benefits. Our integrated environmental mitigation strategy means that in most cases the ecological mitigation and the landscape mitigation planting take a similar form and are located in the same key locations. Ecology is integrated with landscape to provide a more continuous connection of vegetation and freshwater environments, which will benefit biodiversity whilst also providing benefit from a landscape and visual perspective. We have sought a net gain in biodiversity and ecological value in applying the effects management hierarchy along with this additional planting. 5 We note that the effects management hierarchy detailed in the NPS-FM (and in the draft NPS_IB) does not include a step for mitigation.
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