Waikouaiti Coast landowners will soon be the first to be consulted on areas of significant conservation values identified in their area.
About 284 sites throughout the Dunedin City area have been identified as potentially becoming areas of significant conservation values (ASCV) under the District Plan.
The majority of these sites are on private land in rural parts of the city.
ASCVs are important areas of indigenous flora and fauna which the council encourages landowners to formally protect and mange.
The schedule of ASCVs listed 118 sites before the council decided to update it in 2003.
A desktop survey of the city identified the 284 sites that could potentially be assessed as ASCVs, up to 75% of them involving private land.
In 2006, a consultation group was set up develop the approach to consult with landowners.
Planner Debbie Hogan said in a report to the Otago Peninsula Community Board, given the number of sites, they had been broken down into community board areas for the consultation phase of the project.
It was proposed the council's landowner liaison officer begin identifying and contacting landowners in the Waikouaiti Coast community board area, where 54 sites had been identified.
"Landowner participation is essential to the success of the project and the robust assessment of conservation values," she said.
It was intended the project work with willing landowners, recognise they might have areas with special values on their properties, undertake on-site meetings and provide landowners with ecological site assessments, support and advice, she said.
"It is essential that the consultation phase for the ASCV project commences."
Cr Andrew Noone said at Wednesday's Chalmers Community Board meeting, attitudes towards environmental issues from landowners were changing as more people valued the natural aspects of their land.
"There will still be landowners that will see this as a negative process, but a lot of others out there that will value the biodiversity values of their property."
Board member Trevor Johnson said: "I can certainly see landowners would be very suspicious of people coming on their property and saying `You have got this and this, and you can't do this or that'."
Ms Hogan said the council would only be working with willing landowners.
While they would like everybody to be involved they would "by no means be coercing people into the process".
"Part of this process is to come out with a solution for each property where it can be a win-win for everybody."
The council had established a biodiversity fund, able to be applied for every six months, which could assist landowners to maintain and enhance areas.
Funding had been provided in the past for pest control, fencing and restoration work, she said.
The fund was designed to "provide an incentive" when the council went to talk to landowners.
