Proposed naming of wildlife management areas and conservation parks
Have your say on the proposed names for six new wildlife management areas and four new conservation parks in the Western South Island. Submissions closed 9 September 2026.

Background and purpose

This notice relates to the naming of these areas, not to the classification. Decisions on the classification of these areas were made by the Minister of Conservation in December 2025, as part of the Western South Island stewardship land reclassification project.

Although different names were proposed as part of the initial public notification, subsequent engagement with Poutini Ngāi Tahu has identified revised names which are more appropriate.

The proposed names were:

  1. Kōtukuwhakaoka Wildlife Management Area
  2. Kakara Taramea Wildlife Management Area
  3. Kā Mata Whare Wildlife Management Area
  4. Waitangiroto Wildlife Management Area
  5. Waimatuku Wildlife Management Area
  6. Paiari Wildlife Management Area
  7. Ōmonokia Conservation Park
  8. Bell Hill Farm Conservation Park
  9. Pouerua-tāhuna Conservation Park
  10. Ngākawau Conservation Park

See further details of each proposed name and area in the attached notice:

Submissions

Submissions on the proposed names have now closed.

No submissions were received. Consultation was open from 12 August 2026 to 9 September 2026.

What happens next

The proposed names will be reviewed by the New Zealand Geographic Board to ensure they meet naming standards.

Once the names are approved, the new protected areas will be established through an announcement in the New Zealand Gazette, and DOC will update its information and systems to reflect the changes.

Contact

If you have any questions about the proposed name or the process, contact the Stewardship Land Reclassification team at: stewardshiplandreclassification@doc.govt.nz