Week 6 - People

A case study of SIA

The project: Ruataniwha Plains Water Storage Scheme, Central Hawke’s Bay.

Project background: In 2012, there was a proposal for a deal between the Department of Conservation and Hawke's Bay Regional Council to acquire part of the protected Ruahine Forest Park so it could be flooded for the $900 million water storage and irrigation project. The scheme would dam 22ha of formerly-protected land and give the Department of Conservation 170ha of nearby farmland in return.

As part of the investigations for water storage, irrigation and intensified land uses, the Council has consulted with farmers and key stakeholders and established the Ruataniwha Stakeholder Group (RSG). The RSG represents a wide range of interests with members including the respective councils, Maori, land owners and water users, recreation, conservation and environmental interests.

Potential social effects/impacts:

• Changes in farming practices
• Changes in land ownership
• Demographic changes (numbers and composition of the population)
• Strengthening rural communities (education, health, commerce, clubs etc)
• Value conflicts associated with new / intensified land uses versus traditional dryland farming practices
• Wider regional socio-economic effects including construction effects.

 Initiatives for managing impacts:

• Develop a coordinated employment strategy with agencies and training providers for future land uses and off-farm opportunities including training and skills development, with an emphasis on local placement, including working closely with Maori.
• Build on community, youth and sports and recreation development in the district to enhance community benefits from incoming population.
• Establish a programme to assist the integration of newcomers into the community, including migrants from outside the district and overseas workers.
• Develop a strategy to encourage to identify and retain important landscape values in the face of land-use change.

 The problem: Forest & Bird challenged the deal

The outcome: The Supreme court ruled against the project. The reason given was that the Conservation Act allowed the responsible Minister to revoke protected status "only where its intrinsic conservation values no longer warrant such protection".

What the ruling meant was that protected conservation land across the country could not be sold or swapped for commercial ventures.