Helping you plan for natural hazards
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Natural Hazard Planning Expertise
Our planning and social science team has experience in a range of disciplines including environmental planning, psychology, sociology, geography, economics, geology and law. We undertake multi-disciplinary applied research in collaboration with physical and social scientists from a wide range of organisations including: other Crown Research Institutes such as the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), various universities, and consultancies such as Kestrel and Beca International.
The GNS Science planning team can help your Council or project achieve effective land-use risk reduction and recovery.
We can provide consultancy services, advice, and research on effective policy and development issues. Working with geological experts in the natural hazards field, we bridge the gap between technical knowledge and land-use planning.
Research Capabilities
LAND-USE PLANNING GUIDELINES IN HAZARD PRONE AREAS
GNS Science, with support from the planning and geotechnical community, is developing guidelines for land-use planning in hazard prone areas. To date we have developed guidelines for areas of active faulting (‘Planning for development of land on or close to active faults’, 2003), and we have developed guidelines for areas prone to landslides (available in 2007). The guidelines seek to increase planners’ understanding of natural hazards to enable them to develop and assess natural hazard land-use policy with the aim of minimising hazard risk.
Planning for the development of land on or close to active faults: A study of the adoption and use of the Active Fault Guidelines - Download (2.5mb PDF)
Guidelines for assessing planning policy and consent requirements for landslide prone land - Download (6.4mb PDF)
EFFECTIVE LAND USE PLANNING
GNS Science is involved in researching best practice examples of innovative land-use planning in hazard prone areas, both in New Zealand and internationally. With a better understanding of innovative practice, we can assist agencies in developing and applying land-use planning initiatives that minimise risk to communities.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN NATURAL HAZARD MANAGEMENT
We are exploring the role that community groups have in reducing natural hazard risk. Our aim is to determine what practical risk reduction measures community groups have initiated, and how they have influenced local government decision-making for hazard risk reduction. Through this research we can provide good practice examples to other community groups to empower them to be proactive in gaining support for natural hazard management initiatives.
CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND TRADITIONAL MITIGATION
By researching Pacific-based cultures, we seek to better comprehend cultural understandings and beliefs surrounding natural hazards, and gain knowledge of traditional risk management approaches. We explore the relevance of these understandings and approaches, and the application of this knowledge to land-use planning and emergency management in a contemporary context.
Traditional disaster reduction in pacific Island communities - Download (1.3mb PDF)
PRE-EVENT (LAND USE) RECOVERY PLANNING
The focus of this research is on the need for communities and local government to consider land use recovery following a natural hazard event, before an event actually occurs. As part of this research we have developed a methodology that outlines a process for land-use recovery that requires consideration of a range of options such as repairing, reconstructing or relocating existing at-risk land-uses before a natural hazard event occurs.
Updated methodology - Pre-event recovery planning for land-use in New Zealand
- Download (1mb PDF)
Introducing the Natural Hazards Planning Team
Julia, Graham, Maureen, David, Wendy, Kim and Hannah.
| Principal Location | Other Locations | ||
| 1 Fairway Drive Avalon P O Box 30 368 Lower Hutt New Zealand T +64-4-570 1444 F +64-4-570 4600 |
Dunedin Research Centre 764 Cumberland Street Private Bag 1930 Dunedin New Zealand T +64-3-477 4050 F +64-3-477 5232 |
Wairakei Research Centre 114 Karetoto Road Wairakei Private Bag 2000, Taupo New Zealand T +64-7-374 8211 F +64-7-374 8199 |
National Isotope Centre 30 Gracefield Road PO Box 31312 Lower Hutt New Zealand T +64-4-570 1444 F +64-4-570 4657 |