Conservation management strategies & plans

Conservation management strategies are 10-year regional strategies that provide an overview of conservation issues and give direction for the management of public conservation land and waters, and species for which the Department of Conservation has responsibility.

Their purpose is to implement general policies and establish objectives for the integrated management of natural and historic resources, and for recreation, tourism, and any other conservation purposes.

Children attending a Conservation Week
programme

Conservation management strategies are required under the Conservation Act 1987 and are developed in accordance with the legislation under which the Department operates.

Conservation management strategies are a guide for both managers and the public about what the Department intends to do, how it will set priorities about what has to be done and how it can respond to requests to use the natural and historic resources it manages.

What is a conservation management plan?

Conservation management plans are 10-year statutory plans. The purpose of a conservation management plan is to implement the conservation management strategies and to establish detailed objectives for the integrated management of natural and historic resources within a particular area.

Conservation management plans will only be developed for areas where there is a high level of activity or a complexity of issues which cannot be satisfactorily dealt with in the Conservation management strategy. For example, a conservation management plan must be prepared for each National Park, in accordance with the National Parks Act 1980.