6. New National Parks, Additions to National Parks, Boundaries and Special Areas within National Parks

New national parks, and additions and changes to the boundaries of existing national parks, are made by the Governor-General by Order-in-Council on the recommendation of the Minister of Conservation. The Minister must receive a recommendation from the Authority made after consultation with the appropriate conservation board.

Section 8 of the National Parks Act 1980 provides a mechanism for the Authority to investigate the creation of new national parks. The Authority's vision for national parks and other protected places is for them to stretch as a continuum from the mountains to the sea, and cover a comprehensive and representative range across New Zealand of ecosystems, natural features and scenery.

The National Parks Act 1980 provides for three types of areas which, because of their particular qualities or functions, require special management. These are specially protected areas, wilderness areas and amenities areas.

POLICIES

6 New national parks, additions to national parks, boundaries and special areas within national parks

6(a) Lands recommended for national park status will contain, for their intrinsic worth and for the benefit, use and enjoyment of the public, the following:

• i) scenery of such distinctive quality that its preservation in perpetuity is in the national interest; or
• ii) ecosystems or natural features so beautiful, unique or scientifically important that their preservation in perpetuity is in the national interest.

6(b) Lands recommended for new national park status should be relatively large, preferably in terms of thousands of hectares, and preferably comprise contiguous areas or related areas; and should be natural areas.

6(c) Predominantly natural areas may be considered for national park status if they:

• i) contain modified areas which can be restored or are capable of natural regeneration, particularly if representative of ecosystems not adequately included elsewhere in a national park; or
• ii) contain features which have no equivalent in a national park and which are so beautiful, unique or scientifically important that they should be protected in a national park.

6(d) Before requesting an investigation and report on any proposal that land should be declared to be a national park or part of a national park, the Authority:

• i) will advise the Minister of Conservation of the proposal;
• ii) will seek the views of the conservation board within whose area of jurisdiction the land is located;
• iii) will seek the views of tangata whenua within whose rohe the land is located; and
• iv) should seek the views of the any territorial authority and any fish and game council within whose area of jurisdiction the land is located.

6(e) Investigation reports on any proposal that land should be declared to be a national park or part of a national park should include an assessment of the likely social, recreational, cultural and economic implications for tangata whenua and local and regional communities, as well as the nation generally.

6(f) The investigation process should include consultation with tangata whenua and seek written comments from, and have regard to the views of, interested people and organisations.

6(g) Before making a recommendation to the Minister on the creation of a new national park, the Authority will consult with the conservation board within whose area the national park will lie and should have regard to public submissions and the views of tangata whenua.

6(h) The Authority may recommend additions or boundary adjustments to a national park without requesting a formal investigation, when the land to be added has been specifically acquired for national park purposes, and in other circumstances, including one or more of the following:

• i) the addition or adjustment would create a boundary that more closely follows natural features;
• ii) the land to be added is contiguous with the national park or largely surrounded by the national park, with the same, or complementary, natural values;
• iii) the national park values have already been investigated or are already well documented;
• iv) there are no significant adverse effects on tangata whenua values;
• v) the land does not contain significant known mineral deposits with commercial potential which are economically viable for extraction;
• vi) the addition is considered unlikely to have significant adverse effects on communities beyond the boundaries of the national park.

6(i) The following matters should be considered by the Authority before recommending, and by the Minister before approving, the boundaries of new parks, additions to existing national parks and changes to existing boundaries:

• i) the need to protect natural, historical and cultural heritage in national parks from adverse effects of activities outside national park boundaries, and avoid any potential adverse effects of national park status on adjoining land;
• ii) the goal of a representative range of ecosystems, natural features and scenery types being included in national parks;
• iii) landscape units;
• iv) readily identifiable natural features;
• v) convenience for the efficient management of the national park; and
• vi) access options, consistent with the need to preserve national park values.

6(j) The inclusion in national parks of the beds of lakes and rivers vested in the Crown, within the boundaries of the national park, and of any foreshore adjoining the national park, should be sought wherever possible, as they are ecologically continuous with the national park and their inclusion would allow for better integrated management of the national park.

6(k) The Authority may consider recommending exclusion of land from an existing national park if:

• i) the land to be excluded does not have national park values; or
• ii) a boundary more consistent with policy 6(i) is created; or
• iii) the land is required for an upgrade to an existing legal road or railway route to improve safety.

6(l) National park management plans should identify any proposals to exclude land from a national park. Where any proposed exclusion has not been identified in a national park management plan and the Authority considers the proposed exclusion may be controversial, public comment should be sought before the Authority makes any recommendation to the Minister.

6(m) Specially protected areas should be established to preserve indigenous species, habitats and ecosystems, natural features, or sites and objects of archaeological or historical and cultural interest of such significance that public access should be controlled.

6(n) Wilderness areas should be large enough and sufficiently remote and buffered to be unaffected by human influences, except in minor ways, consistent with section 14(2) of the National Parks Act 1980.

6(o) National park management plans should identify new, modified, or expanded amenities areas in national parks only where:

• i) the development and operation of recreational and public amenities appropriate for public use and enjoyment of the national park cannot practicably be located outside the national park; and
• ii) where adverse effects on the rest of the national park can be minimised.

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