Briefing

1. Who we are and what we do

   The New Zealand Conservation Authority is a statutory advisor to the Minister of Conservation and to the Director-General on national conservation issues and priorities. Among its roles, it forms a bridge by which the wishes of New Zealanders pass into the 10-year management strategies and plans for all of the public conservation lands owned by them. The Authority is the final decision-maker for approval of the high-level 10-year conservation management strategies or CMSs, and for national park management plans (Conservation Act 1987, ss.6B (1) (b) and 17F (p); National Parks Act 1980, s.18 (b) and s.48).

2. Planning for conservation lands

   The planning cycle is now in a busy period, following the expiry of CMSs in several conservancies. Most of the remaining CMSs will come up for review in the next three years. Four national park management plans will come up next year.

   The CMS consultation process has attracted strong public interest and vigorous debate. A philosophical divide has emerged between, on the one hand, the Department of Conservation's desire to shorten and simplify such planning documents and, on the other, the view of a number of submitters that CMSs must not become so bland that they are ineffective as planning documents. The public and business need a reasonable degree of certainty as to how public conservation lands and waters will be managed. The Authority has statutory responsibility for resolving this conflict.

   The Authority also considers that the public consultation process followed through planning processes should be inclusive of both tangata whenua and other New Zealanders and that their voices should be heard and reflected in the planning documents, consistent with the relevant statutory framework.

3. Commercial use of conservation lands

   A related topic is the need to uphold the integrity of management planning, in relation to concessions and other authorisations for commercial activities or other specialist interests on public conservation land. Some energy, tourism and recreation activities are naturally in conflict with the protection of biodiversity, the natural landscape, natural quiet and other values for which public conservation land has been set aside. The issuing of major concessions ahead of the planning review process can compromise important over-arching objectives. Planning governs the consideration of concession applications - not the other way around. The Authority has the responsibility (s.6B (1) (c)) to review and report on the on the effectiveness of the Department of Conservation's administration of general policies, including the relationship between planning and concessions.P>

4. Status of conservation land

   The Authority has a role to advise on the classification of conservation areas of national and international status, and to investigate national park proposals. The Government recently purchased St James Station, and the Authority would appreciate the opportunity to exercise these functions in relation to this new public conservation land.

5. Pest control

   (a) Effect of deer browsing

   The decline in the feral deer recovery industry has allowed growth in deer numbers on public conservation lands. As a result, some areas which retain their original understorey, such as East Cape, are at risk of irreversible modification. Apart from deer-free areas in Northland and Taranaki and the takahe habitat, there is little deer control on public conservation land and biodiversity is suffering.

   (b) Possums and mustelids

   Funding limits over the years and increased public opposition to aerial pest control are resulting in significant biodiversity losses and visible canopy collapse in some forests¹.

   (c) Climate change

   A large percentage of threatened plants live in open habitats, where competition from exotic weeds and animals is likely to increase with warmer temperatures. The control of browsing animals also has a role in enhancing carbon storage.

6. Biosecurity threats

   Biosecurity threats are constant and increasing, especially in the marine area. Multiple jurisdictions in all aquatic habitats make management to protect biodiversity more complex and difficult. The proposed New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement has the potential to provide some integration of functions. However, the Authority also supports the development of an Oceans Policy.

7. Freshwater

   The Authority supports the development of a national plan for the protection and management of freshwater. Overlapping jurisdictions between the Department of Conservation, the Ministry of Fisheries and regional councils complicate the management of freshwater resources, especially for species such as the threatened long-finned eel, and for pest fish. There is also insufficient national direction to regional councils on how much water can be allocated without damaging the environment, especially for indigenous species and ecosystems.

   
   Don Ross
   Chair

¹ E.g. Waitutu in Southland 2004-2008 DOC/Landcare Research study. Without pest control, Waitutu's bird numbers have collapsed. Kaka populations are now 90% male in a sample of 100 birds, because the females and chicks are almost all being killed on the nest. Waitutu's mohua (yellowhead) have almost died out. Forest collapse is evident in parts of the central North Island, in the Kaimai, Kaweka and Ruahine ranges.

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