Vision

"Our vision is for a region that develops and prospers within a clean and healthy environment."

Hawke's Bay is blessed with a wonderful climate, beautiful spaces, fresh air,clean water and good earth.

But there are environmental problems. For over a hundred years the land cover has been extensively modified as a result of climate and development. Other problems result from urban and industrial developments.

Regional Council staff and Councillors work with individuals, community groups, companies and other councils both locally and nationally to develop long term solutions.

There is a strong awareness of environmental issues in Hawke's Bay but there is still a long way to go.

Personal attitudes, behaviours and actions influence the quality of our environment and we can all make a difference to make sure our children's children can enjoy good water, air, water and coastal resources in the future.

"...our key environmental laws… are explicitly based on the ethic of sustainability which obliges us to sustain the natural environment not just for our own use, but for its ecological functions, its intrinsic value and its potential value to future generations. Under this ethic, the environment is no longer the economy's servant but its host, and extinctions and environmental degradation are no longer acceptable prices to pay in the pursuit of economic growth."

- The State of New Zealand's Environment, Ministry for the Environment, 1997.