20 March 2019

Have your say – West Coast Te Tai o Poutini Conservation Management Strategy amendment

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is seeking the views of the public on draft amendments to the West Coast Te Tai o Poutini Conservation Management Strategy 2010 (CMS).

DOC is amending the CMS to ensure consistency with the new Paparoa National Park Management Plan 2017 and management of activities on the new Paparoa Great Walk, which is due to open to the public later this year.

The Director Operations for the Western South Island region, Mark Davies says, “The new Great Walk is an exciting and highly anticipated addition to the West Coast region. When it opens, we want to ensure people can make full use of it.”

The need to amend the CMS was signalled during the review of the Paparoa National Park Management Plan. The plan reflects the desire of the families of the 29 men who died in the Pike River Mine disaster to create the Great Walk as a memorial and to provide economic benefit to the West Coast community.

The plan was developed in partnership with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae, and the West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board with input from the community.

The draft CMS amendments will be open for public submissions until 4 pm Monday 20 May 2019.

After submissions close, public hearings will be held where people can speak to their submissions. The submissions will then be analysed, which may result in changes to the draft amendments.

The revised draft amendments will then be considered by the West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board before going to the New Zealand Conservation Authority for their consideration and approval.

The draft CMS amendments and information about making a submission can be viewed at www.doc.govt.nz/west-coast-cms-amendments. . Copies of the amendments can also be viewed at the DOC offices in Hokitika, Greymouth, Westport and Wellington, and the DOC Punakaiki Visitor Centre.

Submitters can also choose to speak in support of their submission at public hearings later this year.

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