7. Natural Hazards
Natural hazards, including earthquakes, landslides, avalanches, volcanic eruptions, lahar, geothermal sites, tsunamis, floods, storms, rock falls and fires are part of the natural state of New Zealand's national parks. Human ability to restrain such natural forces is limited and, even when there is the technical ability to do so, natural processes in national parks should, where practicable, continue to function unhampered.
Understanding the risks from natural hazards and employing appropriate management tools to mitigate risks where necessary, are the keys to the effective management of risks from natural hazards.
POLICIES
7 Natural hazards
7(a) National parks will, as far as possible, be preserved in their natural state.
7(b) Management for risks from natural hazards in national parks:
- i) should be undertaken with minimal interference to natural processes, and national park values; and
- ii) will include an assessment of the hazards and the associated risks to people, places, taonga and property.
7(c) When a high level of risk to people, places, taonga or property from a natural hazard in a national park has been identified, a hazard and risk management plan should be developed by the Department.
7(d) The Department, when developing a hazard and risk management plan, will:
- i) consult with tangata whenua and other interested people and organisations on the identification of options to address risks; and
- ii) inform tangata whenua and other interested people and organisations of any proposed actions.
7(e) Natural hazard risk assessment will be a key component of national park planning, including the location and construction of all facilities in national parks.
7(f) Preference will be given to hazard mitigation that does not require structures to be built inside the national park.
7(g) The Department should provide information to enable people to assess the risks from natural hazards that may occur or arise in national parks.
7(h) The Department may notify the closure of a national park or any part of a national park to public entry when it considers there to be imminent danger to people and property that cannot be reasonably avoided by other means.
7(i) People will be responsible for their own decisions on the risks that they are prepared to take arising from natural hazards in national parks.
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