Media release

Tuesday 3 September 2013

Conservation strategies: last chance to have your say

The public now have just over a week left to have their say on how the Department of Conservation (DOC) manages recreation and our natural and historic heritage in the south and eastern South Island.

DOC released its draft conservation management strategies (CMS) for Canterbury, Otago and Southland to the public on 26 June 2013. Once finalised, these will guide DOC’s management of conservation land, wildlife, cultural heritage and recreation in these areas for the next 10 years.

“There is now just over a week to go for people to take advantage of this once-in-ten-year opportunity,” says DOC Planning Manager Dave Newey.

“We’ve received roughly 90 submissions on the three documents so far, but expect to get flooded with feedback in the next few days.

“Recreation activities such as mountain biking, horse riding and hunting seem to be the burning issues for the majority of our submitters so far,” says Mr Newey.

“Other important topics for comment include freshwater management and marine protection. We’re really keen to hear from as many people as possible in order to get the strategies right. So if you have an opinion—let us know!”

People can view the three draft CMS on the DOC website at www.doc.govt.nz/cms. This webpage also includes a submission form and information on how people can make a submission.The submission process is open until 13 September 2013.

ENDS

Further information: A conservation management strategy (CMS) is a statutory document that provides strategic direction for the Department’s management of public conservation land integrating legislation, policy, strategic goals over a ten-year period. It aims, through conversations with communities, to show how natural, historic and cultural heritage of regional and local importance fit into the national context.

A CMS also:
• identifies how to integrate management of places to achieve national conservation outcomes;
• clarifies priorities for management of conservation resources;
• guides decision making (e.g. on applications to undertake commercial activities);
• describes conservation outcomes to be achieved;
• sets out a framework to increase conservation efforts over the next decade recognising that the department cannot do it alone.

Each draft CMS has been prepared by DOC in consultation with the relevant conservation board, Ngāi Tahu and the community.

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