Strategic Priority A: Giving effect to Section 4 of the Conservation Act 1987

The Authority will: Meet its legal obligations under section 4 of the Conservation Act 1987 to give effect to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi.

1. A standing discussion on s4 matters at every meeting of the Authority to ensure non regression
2. Prioritise hui with mana whenua during field trips, and invite engagement with Māori on relevant s.4 issues at every meeting of the Authority
3. Conduct an annual self-review of its performance with regards to s4 obligations
4. Seek support from its Treaty Partnerships Committee
5. Seek regular updates from the Department on s4 issues
6. Ensure the inclusion of relevant recommendations of the Options Development Group Report into statutory plans and the General Policies.

Strategic Priority B: Supporting the implementation of Te Mana o Te Taiao

The Authority will: Support the implementation of Te Mana o Te Taiao via:

1. Regular updates on the implementation of TMoTT from the Department.
2. Advocating and promoting collaboration and innovation across all sectors.

Strategic Priority C: Terrestrial biodiversity and taonga species

The Authority will: Better understand, protect, enhance, and appreciate Aotearoa New Zealand’s native terrestrial biodiversity, and ensure that conservation and efforts across major reforms and environment initiatives are connected and impactful

1. Provide strategic advice to the Director-General and the Minister for the effective management of introduced and pervasive pest species and weeds affecting native biodiversity.

2. Provide advice on securing and/or sustaining a social licence to responsibly use efficient pest and weed control technologies.
3. Continue to encourage the Department to undertake and sustain large-scale animal pest control and progress toward complete eradication of mammalian predators from large areas, such as Rakiura.
4. Encourage the Department to actively manage other threats to native biodiversity such as kauri dieback (PTA) disease, myrtle rust, and avian flu, and to take a strong stance on biosecurity in general.
5. Advocate for conservation on private land.
6. Encourage the Department to undertake and sustain landscape-scale plant pest and weed control, such as wilding pines eradication.
7. Encourage the Department to produce measurable positive outcomes for biodiversity at a species and habitat level.
8. To consider and provide advice on Herd Management Plans in National Parks.

Strategic Priority D: Rivers and freshwater ecosystems

The Authority will: Advocate for ecosystem services that public conservation land provides to New Zealanders, with respect to values of our waterways and waterbodies.

1. Maintain active advocacy for the comprehensive protection of a representative range of rivers.
2. Use the NZCA River Report (2011) and other national freshwater management initiatives as a basis for advocacy for freshwater ecosystem management.
3. Provide strategic advice on the management of whitebait and other endangered freshwater species such as the longfin eel.
4. Ensure DOC’s environmental strategies align with the National Policy Statement for Freshwater and its successors, and the ANZBS, to address cumulative impact issues in water use and management.

Strategic Priority E: Marine ecosystems

The Authority will: Advocate for the protection of the marine environment and biodiversity.

1. Actively engage with iwi, hapu and all stakeholders on new approaches and tools to protect a representative range of marine ecosystems, habitats, and species, recognising our collective dependency on healthy coasts and marine ecosystems
2. Maintain oversight of threatened species marine by-catch and the effectiveness of monitoring of bycatch on fishing vessels, especially through the use of cameras.
3. Advocate for legislative reform to better reflect marine protection priorities - from estuaries to the deep ocean and recognising the need for protection for marine species and habitats in waters beyond national boundaries.

Strategic Priority F: Climate change adaptation and mitigation

The Authority will: Assess the implications of, and opportunities arising from, climate change and ensure conservation planning and expenditure priorities.

1. Highlight the role of conservation in mitigating and adapting to climate change; and the means to reduce the risks of climate change to biodiversity and the Department’s infrastructure and management of capital assets.
2. Show leadership with respect to landscape scale pest and weed control and its contribution as a mitigating factor – improving ecosystem health/ resilience.
3. Monitor the implementation of DOC’s Climate Change Adaption Action Plan (CCAAP).
4. Advise on connectivity of climate change adaption and mitigation efforts between reforms and environmental programmes.

Strategic Priority G: Tourism and recreation management

The Authority will: Engage with the Department on the management of tourism and recreation activities on public conservation land and waters.

1. Advise the Department on the implementation of its Visitor Strategy and the DOC/MBIE Tourism Strategy.
2. Ensure the concessions framework for tourism activities on public conservation land is fit for purpose.
3. Review the resilience, capacity and benefits of conservation lands, waters, and resources being used to provide for tourism and recreation including at specific sites, especially pressure points.
4. Work with other key stakeholders that have an interest in the tourism industry, e.g., TIA, MBIE, local government, and iwi, hapū and whānau.
5. Advise the Department on ways it can further enable activities and local recreation that actively supports conservation activities.

Strategic Priority H: Conservation Acts Land Management Changes

The Authority will:

1. Actively engage and work with the Department and others as the Conservation Acts Land Management Changes are developed and implemented
2. Ensure it works in alignment with the Department, and support the development of new legislation, and the policy and plans that follow
3. Support the transition
4. Work with the Department and others to support identification and review of conservation lands visitor activity zones

Strategic Priority I: Fast-Track applications affecting conservation lands and values

The Authority will: respond to conservation related Fast-Track applications.

Strategic Priority J: Self review

The Authority will: Effect continuous improvement to achieve greater value and impact and undertake an annual self-review.