1. Develop a national policy
and standards on Sustainable Land Management under the Resource Management
Act to help achieve riparian protection, healthy aquatic ecosystems, enhanced
water quality in all degraded freshwater systems including ground water,
arrest soil erosion and curb the loss of elite soils.
2. Direct and provide resources
for the Ministry for the Environment to advocate mechanisms in resource
management plans to achieve sustainable land management.
3. Develop an action plan for hill
country erosion as required by the existing Sustainable Land Management
Strategy. The action plan should:
-
develop a policy framework and delivery
mechanism for central government intervention and assistance to combat
hill country erosion, including the East Coast sustainable land management
project;
-
be funded at a level not less than $20
million/year with a review of the adequacy of the funding after three years;
-
be integrated and fully consistent with
the Biodiversity Strategy;
-
identify lands requiring retirement;
-
provide adjustment assistance to enable
indebted landowners to relocate away from eroding hill country land and
for the amalgamation and reconfiguration of properties retiring land not
capable of sustainable production.
4. Transfer the management of degraded
high country leasehold land which is not allocated to the Department of
Conservation or privatised, to the Department of Lands (LINZ) with the
goal of restoring its natural or productive values.
5. Fostering certified organic agriculture
and promoting protocols so that organic agriculture is not adversely affected
by non-organic practices.
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