PCE submission on Modernising Conservation Land Management discussion document

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has made a submission to the Department of Conservation on its Modernising Conservation Land Management discussion document. While supportive of the intention of the reforms, he notes a lack of detail on certain issues, such as national decision making and the use of a net benefit test. This has limited his ability to provide feedback.

A key point highlighted in the submission is the need to apply both a national and regional lens to conservation and to ensure decision making is made at an appropriate level.

“Looking through the national lens, we need our conservation system to preserve ecosystems and species in a way that is nationally representative. However, most New Zealanders will have favourite DOC reserves in their regions and different hapū and iwi will also have their own taonga and significant places on public land that needs to be protected. For that reason, access to public conservation land and the experiences it can offer must also be considered regionally.”

Other advice in the submission addresses the Government’s proposals to allow a wider range of conservation land to be exchanged or disposed of and plans to modify the concessions system.