This page last modified 29 October 1999

Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand

See also Green Party response to PANZ questionnaire

Conservation Policy
Restoring our shares treasures, protecting the future

Making the connections

Green thinking means thinking about connections. The measures presented here are inter-woven with the entire spectrum of Green policies. These include a waste-free new Zealand, commitment to the treaty of Waitangi, promoting citizen participation in resource management, and our commitment to creating an organic nation free of GE foods. Our Conservation principles reflect an holistic approach. We recognise that the implementation of the conservation policy affects other policies eg. Public health concerns and the use of 1080, marine reserves, fisheries management and Treaty issues, pest control and employment creation. Our commitment to dialogue means we see discussions with communities of interest and integration with other community concerns as fundamental to conservation policy. Rather than offering 'the solution for all time', we are committed to facilitating effective and on-going community dialogue to protect our natural resources and ensure on-going ecological sustainability.

Policy Principles

The Green Party recognises that our quality of life is underpinned by the health of our unique ecosystems - from mountain tops to seashore, braided river to ocean floor. Ecosystems and species, including ourselves, form an intricate, interconnected web of life which is a treasure in its own right.

The web of life contributes to the food we eat and materials we use, the quality of our water and soils, the moderation of climate, and ultimately the ability of our environment to support all life. Therefore:

• Conservation policies and practices must safeguard and enhance ecosystems and all native plants and animal species, especially those that are unique to New Zealand.
• Conservation policies and practices must foster people's awareness and enthusiasm for the plants and animals of New Zealand and their protection.
• Conservation must extend beyond parks and reserves to become an integral part of the planning and management of the countryside, towns and cities, rivers and the sea.
• The role of tangata whenua as kaitiaki of natural areas within their role must be recognised, respected and supported in conservation management.
• Conservation is about how we live, work, play and learn. The health of natural areas must not be compromised by a resource hungry and polluting economy. Green policies promoting a waste free and organic New Zealand will reduce the external pressures on our unique species and wild places.
• Our commitment to removing toxic waste and pollution and improving the liveability of our cities will provide a major boost to biodiversity.

Caring for nature provides worthwhile jobs for New Zealanders and is a powerful and positive way of inspiring and motivating young people in urban and rural areas.

Reconnecting with nature is an important part of changing the way we see the world we live within.

Key policies

• Saving the Kiwi... and a thousand other threatened species
  
• Ensure that conservation funding is sufficient to not only halt the decline in biodiversity, but restore the fortunes of our native plants and animals (in line with goal level 2 of the Draft Biodiversity Strategy). Conduct a zero based review of conservation funding to ensure that the Department of Conservation and other agencies have the resources needed to do their job. We will argue strongly for a progressive and substantial increase in conservation funding as part of budget discussions over the next three years.
  
• Establish new and larger 'mainland islands' of intensive pest management, to help save the kiwi and other threatened species such as kaka (forest parrot) and kakariki (parakeet) from extinction on the mainland.
  
• Significantly increase funding for pest control above current levels. Ensure control of significant economic pests which are also conservation pests (possums, wasps, etc.) is coordinated and jointly funded between all agencies (MAF, DoC, Animal Health Board, local authorities). Develop pest management strategies under the Biosecurity Act to ensure that pest and weed control efforts are coordinated across both private and public lands. Where possible, we support replacing aerial poisoning with job-creating ground-based control (eg the use of bait stations) carried out by properly trained people.
  
• Where possible, eradicate pest species such as chamois, wallaby, and sika deer where they threaten important ecosystem values, and strictly limit the range of remaining populations. Control the farming of potential pests such as deer and goats to prevent the establishment of new pest populations in the wild. Investigate options to end the farming and keeping of mustelids (stoats, ferrets and weasels).
  
• Dramatically improve border biosecurity, including public awareness programmes, overseas inspection of inbound shipments, better technology and staffing at entry points, research and tighter policy. Trade interests will not be used to excuse accidental or deliberate introductions of new pest species.
  
• Preserve and enhance indigenous forest. Our country has already lost most of its indigenous forest cover. In principle, we oppose all commercial logging of non-plantation indigenous forests in order to protect and enhance that which remains. Achieving this will require a co-operative approach that recognises the diverse interests involved. In relation to West Coast indigenous forestry, we seek:

(a) an immediate end to all existing and planned indigenous forestry operations by Timberlands West Coast (including the beech scheme); and

(b) the inclusion of all Timberlands West Coast's indigenous forests in the conservation estate.

More viable and sustainable methods will be used to provide financial independence and employment for the West Coast (refer to 'helping people get involved', point 6).

• Together with local communities, promote the creation of new national parks and conservation parks, such as a Fiordland Marine Park and additions to Paparoa and Kahurangi National Parks.
  
• Review wildlife and plant protection legislation to ensure the protection of indigenous species, particularly those threatened with extinction, both on land and at sea.

Enriching our marine life...

• Move the focus of fisheries management from short-term maximisation of fishing yield to integrated ecosystem management. Restore adequate funding for fisheries research, and ensure research remains under public control, rather than being passed on to the industry.
  
• Give priority to the development of an Oceans Strategy,incorporating:
  • a review of the law controlling our waters;
  • establishment of an oversight body to co-ordinate marine management;
  • overhaul of the Marine Reserves Act and development of a marine reserves strategy;
  • inks to the Biodiversity Strategy and;
  • support international efforts to give environmental protection primacy in the law of the sea convention.
    
• As well as restoring underwater ecosystems, marine reserves have proven to be very useful fisheries management tools both here and overseas, breeding bigger fish in greater numbers. The marine reserves strategy will ensure the early protection of a fully representative area of our coastal waters. Developing proposals in consultation with local communities, fishers and tangata whenua, we will work toward the protection of 20% of the coastline as marine reserves.
  
• Support customary marine and freshwater fishing regulations and the creation of taiapure and mataitai reserves managed by tangata whenua.
  
• Reduce the killing of albatross, seals and other animals, and reduce habitat damage by the fishing industry by requiring adoption of the best fishing technology and methods. Set for all fisheries a target of near-zero fishing-related deaths of marine mammal, turtle, seabird and threatened fish or other marine species by 2003.

Developing conservation networks from the mountains to the shore...

• Foster conservation in the countryside through a positive approach including economic incentives, education and, where necessary, regulation. Ensure that costs of conservation are shared by both the local and national community rather than borne solely by landowners. Restore intended funding (double the present levels) of the Nature Heritage Fund, Nga Whenua Rahui (to provide better protection for ecosystems on MSori land) and the QEII Trust (to enable landowner protection of ecosystems).
  
• Encourage landowners to retain and develop their sense of guardianship through support for voluntary initiatives such as Landcare groups. Seek ways to reduce the financial disincentives and barriers to protection of nature that face landowners.
  
• Ensure the national policy statement on biodiversity under the RMA requires district councils to control the clearance of native forest and wildlife habitats; and give additional recognition and protection to the habitats of species threatened with extinction.
  
• Explore options for developing the 'farm park' concept in New Zealand, to maintain ecosystems and landscapes and facilitate public access and tourism.
  
• Enhance the conservation potential of inhabited islands such as D'Urville, Great Barrier, Waiheke, Stewart/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands, in co-operation with residents and tangata whenua. These islands are free of some pests and there is a potential to eradicate others, removing the need for continuous control.
  
• Adequately resource the process of high country tenure review in order to protect all pastoral lease land with significant conservation values in a network of high country parks and reserves.
  
• Establish programmes to ensure the protection of a fully representative network of indigenous wetlands, dunelands and grasslands.
  
• Encourage landowners to set marginal and unstable lands aside for restoration of native vegetation. Similarly, foster the provision of habitat corridors with the planting of indigenous vegetation on unused road strips, esplanade reserves and other areas.

Bringing native birds back into town...

• Foster and support local nature conservation initiatives such as forest, wetland and stream restoration, local authority pest and weed management initiatives (such as non-toxic weed control), and predator free subdivisions. Match the contributions of local councils dollar for dollar from a new fund.
  
• Work with local government and communities to ensure a minimum 5% of the land area of every ecological district in the country (some of which are almost entirely covered by cities) is in native vegetation or set aside for the restoration of nature by 2010.
  
• Reduce the pollution of urban streams and harbours through an Urban Waterway Restoration Strategy, so people can enjoy their local streams and beaches. Ensure the marine reserve strategy incorporates marine reserves for towns and cities.

Helping people get involved...

• Restore and adequately resource DoC's role in advocating for conservation and providing education about conservation to the wider community.
  
• Incorporate environmental education into the core curriculum at all levels from pre-school to tertiary and teacher training. Encourage expanded environmental education in the adult education network.
  
• Strengthen the role of the conservation boards as an independent voice for conservation, providing input to policy from tangata whenua and community.
  
• Support the continuing development of conservation partnerships between DoC and tangata whenua, environment groups and local communities.
  
• Encourage local government to take more responsibility for implementing conservation goals through district and regional plans, and facilitate the involvement of the community and tangata whenua in formulating and implementing these conservation goals.
  
• Foster community participation in environmental decision making with better notification of development proposals and support for improved community and tangata whenua participation in resource management issues.
  
• Work with communities to ensure that the costs of protecting our natural heritage for the "common good" are shared across communities, regions and the country as a whole, and that positive economic strategies are developed for regions endowed with a high proportion of protected areas.
  
• Mining is currently prohibited in National Parks and various other types of reserve, under the Crown Minerals Act 1991. We will tighten control over mining on conservation land, including full consultation with tangata whenua, environmental groups, local communities and the public generally on any mining proposals.

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Public Access New Zealand, P.O.Box 17, Dunedin, New Zealand

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