Goals
-
To maintain and restore all remaining
natural habitats and ecosystems to a healthy functioning state, to actively
restore critically depleted habitats, to sustain and enhance indigenous
biodiversity in modified production and urban environments.
-
To prevent any further extinction of
indigenous species and to maintain and enhance the existing population
levels and distribution patterns of indigenous species.
-
To restore as far as possible to their
pristine natural state ecosystems capable of near total restoration including
islands, representative marine ecosystems, and representative suitable
mainland habitats including lakes, rivers and wetlands.
-
Government should maintain and enhance
the existing system of national parks, reserves and other protected areas
and retain this in public ownership and management for both the protection
of indigenous biodiversity and so the public can enjoy our natural heritage.
Legislation for Biodiversity
-
Introduce a Threatened Species and Habitats
Act, modelled on Australian federal and state legislation and covering
terrestrial, freshwater and marine biota.
-
Increase enforcement provisions and
penalties for offences under the Wildlife Act to realistic deterrent levels.
-
Adopt and advocate a National Policy
Statement under the Resource Management Act that will ensure the maintenance
and enhancement of native forest, wetlands, tussock grasslands and other
natural habitats, including aquatic ecosystems. Key actions: end the
clearance of native forest, the drainage of wetlands and the burning and
cultivation of tall tussockland.
-
Amend the Conservation Act and the Crown
Minerals Act to establish a public process for consideration of prospecting,
exploration and mining applications on conservation land.
-
Amend the Marine Reserves Act 1971 to
extend the purposes of marine reserves to include education, recreation,
and natural heritage values.
Freshwater Biodiversity
-
Establish a network of protected freshwater
ecosystems (faunistic reserves) for the protection of indigenous freshwater
flora and fauna. Key sites: South Westland, inland Otago, Waikato, Taranaki,
Bay of Plenty, and Northland.
-
Develop recovery plans for threatened
freshwater species and give legal protection to all threatened native fish
and ensure no further loss in the current range of indigenous species.
Key
species: dwarf inanga, blue gilled bully, Northland mudfish, giant kokopu,
and short-jawed kokopu.
-
Ensure unimpeded access for migratory
freshwater fish in significant habitats from headwaters to coastal areas.
-
End the use of toxic lead shot and lead
fishing weights.
-
Initiate water conservation orders for
key unprotected wild and scenic rivers. Key rivers: Clarence and Whanganui.
Terrestrial Biodiversity
-
Expand New Zealand’s national park,
conservation park and ecological reserve system to improve the representation
of lowland forest, tussock grassland and coastal environments. Key sites:
national park or conservation park status/investigations as appropriate
for Kauri forests, Tongariro-Erua forests, inland Marlborough, Torlesse,
Arrowsmiths/ Ashburton Lakes, Garvies-Remarkable Ranges. National park
additions: Whanganui, Abel Tasman foreshore, Nelson Lakes, Mt Cook, Rangataua
forest to Tongariro National Park, Stewart Island and southern South Westland.
-
Protect from logging the 130,000 hectares
of West Coast rainforest currently mismanaged by Timberlands West Coast.
Disestablish Timberlands and transfer the management of West Coast exotic
forests to a new body providing economic local benefits. Key sites:
Okarito, Saltwater, Poerua, East Bank Maruia, Orikaka, Granville, Charleston,
eastern Paparoas, Otira-Kopara, and Inangahua.
-
Reject the Forests Amendment Bill proposals
to allow the export of indigenous logs and chips and instead support increased
funding for the Nature Heritage Fund and Nga Whenua Rahui and support measures
to ensure greater accountability and increased public involvement in sustainable
forest management plans.
-
End the clearance and logging of all
natural kiwi habitat and fund the establishment of eleven 10-20,000 hectare
kiwi zones to ensure the survival of kiwi on the mainland. Key sites:
Whanganui, Coromandel, Taranaki, Tongariro, Urewera, Northland, North-West
Nelson, Buller, South Westland, inland Canterbury, Fiordland.
-
Protect New Zealand’s indigenous biota
from the ravages of introduced weeds and pests. Eradicate thar, wallaby
and isolated deer herds and ensure the sustained reduction of deer numbers
elsewhere to levels low enough to allow the regeneration of key palatable
species. Key sites: Kaweka Conservation Park, Stewart Island, Northland,
Taranaki (deer), Central Southern Alps (thar), Rotorua, Kawau Island, South
Canterbury (wallaby).
-
Provide for the restoration of critically
depleted habitat types through policy measures, incentive mechanisms and
funding for the restoration of lowland wetlands, riparian margins, coastal
areas, lowland forest and lowland grasslands.
-
Retain in public ownership all natural
habitats currently owned by the Crown that have predominant conservation
values. Key sites: Waiouru Army Training Area, indigenous forests managed
by Forest Research.
-
Carry out tenure review in the South
Island High Country so that land of predominant conservation value returns
to full Crown control.
|