Economic and social future of the high country
Impacts on farming
DOC estimates that as many as 300,000 stock units may be removed from the high country as a consequence of tenure review, giving rise to concerns about the future of the merino industry.
To put expected lost stock production in the high country into perspective, total sheep numbers throughout New Zealand have declined by at least 25 per cent in the last 20 years, as farmers have sought to diversify, and as performance per stock unit has increased, via higher lambing percentages and lamb weight gain rates.
Balanced against stock losses is new wealth expected to be generated by farmers diversifying into other economic activities, and economic opportunities arising in new conservation lands, say, in tourism.
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Central Rail Trail Duathlon
Evidence is mounting that where tenure review is occurring benefits are occurring:
- A drive to farm deer, plant vineyards, olives, apricots and forests on former pastoral leasehold land.
- Potential seen for nuts, flowers and essential oils in some areas.
- Increasing tourism in the high country
- Property values in the high country are climbing fast
- Subdivision of freeholded land into lifestyle subdivisions.
Other impacts
DOC has commissioned a number of studies explaining the economic value of conservation land arising, e.g. from tourism and recreation spending in regions.
The value of water provided by Te Papanui Conservation Park, which was formed out of tenure review, has been calculated at $136 million. This would be the one-off payment required to obtain the water from elsewhere for Dunedin residents, to irrigate the fields of Taieri farmers, and for Otago hydroelectricity generators.
Tenure review has led to a revitalisation of high country communities, for example, the Maniatoto, thanks to the Art Deco experience in Ranfurly, and the Otago Central Rail Trail.
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