Pristine wilderness remains vulnerable unless protected now

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry should instruct her department and the New Zealand Conservation Authority to prioritise a national park investigation for conservation land in South Westland, the Green Party said today.

“The Government needs to stop mucking around, and improve the legal protection for outstanding natural areas like South Westland now,” said Green Party conservation spokesperson Eugenie Sage.

The call for a national park investigation for South Westland follows an updated report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment which asks the government to ‘pick up the pace’ on reviewing and reclassifying stewardship land.

“As stewardship land, South Westland's spectacular forests, wetlands, mountains, and coast have the weakest legal protection of any conservation land. They are vulnerable to oil exploration, mining and damaging developments such as the proposed Haast-Hollyford road," Ms Sage said.

“Mining is a major threat under this Government. As stewardship land, South Westland's rain forests are open to mining and have no protection under Schedule Four of the Crown Minerals Act. Mineral and oil exploration would destroy the area's pristine biodiversity and wilderness values.

“The outstanding biodiversity and landscape values of conservation land in South Westland and its importance to the world have been recognised internationally by its world heritage status. At home, National have failed to give the area the proper legal protection it deserves.

“A review of stewardship land and upgrade to national park status would provide certainty to the public, conservation and recreational groups, and show the road promoters that the destructive Haast-Hollyford road proposal is a ‘no go’ in this unspoilt environment. We love this wilderness and need to protect it,” said Ms Sage.

ENDS

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