The Department of Conservation will undertake a full review of the West Coast Conservation Management Strategy 2010 – 2020 (CMS). Initial planning for the review will start later this year.

The CMS is the overarching strategy for protecting the cultural, natural, historic and recreational values on public conservation lands and waters on the West Coast.

Director Planning, Permissions and Land, Natasha Hayward, says many things have changed since 2010 when the current CMS was approved.

“Ongoing extreme weather events and the effects of climate change have become increasingly significant. The CMS needs to provide guidance on how DOC should manage conservation land with these impacts in mind.”

Large additions to public conservation land and waters on the West Coast such as the Mokihinui addition to Kahurangi National Park, and an addition to Paparoa National Park are currently not covered by the CMS and need to be included.

“The CMS also needs to respond to changes in recreational use such as the increasing popularity of mountain biking,” says Natasha Hayward.

DOC will undertake the full review of the CMS in partnership with Ngāi Tahu and in consultation the West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board. The views of stakeholders and the community will be sought through a public consultation process prior to notifying a draft CMS for submissions and public hearings.

The current review of the Westland Tai Poutini National Park Management Plan (WNPMP) will stop and will be reviewed once the review of the CMS is complete.

Natasha Hayward says, “A national park management plan must be consistent with the CMS. Due to the changes on the West Coast, the priority is to review the CMS in the first instance then use this to guide the national park management review.”

A copy of the current CMS can be found online at West Coast CMS. Once public consultation on the document is ready to begin it will be advertised.

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