The Environmental Defence Society (EDS) today released its review of the Conservation Management Planning System, which
calls for urgent reform to deliver better conservation outcomes. Co-authored by Dr Deidre Koolen-Bourke, Raewyn Peart,
Bronwyn Wilde and Tracey Turner, the report reviews the adequacy of the legislation and policy settings, statutory
planning documents, concessions system and institutional arrangements for managing the conservation estate.
“It is really important that we get the Conservation Management Planning System right because it provides the framework
for managing over one-third of Aotearoa New Zealand’s land area, as well as many marine areas, and our precious flora
and fauna are in serious peril,” said EDS Senior Policy Researcher Dr Deidre Koolen-Bourke.
“Our review found a planning system that was largely broken. Many conservation planning documents are outdated, poorly
implemented and lack the necessary resourcing to make them work.
“A particular focus of our review was compliance with Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations. We found that key planning
documents failed to incorporate Treaty principles adequately or set clear objectives and milestones in this area. The
result is an ongoing implementation gap.
“A persistent message that came through in our interviews was the need to bring the planning system, and the Department
of Conservation, back to place. That is where communities and mana whenua are and where the knowledge, connection and
relationship between people and Papatūānuku resides.
“Of our public land, national parks are the jewel in the Crown, attracting thousands of visitors each year. We urgently
need a planning system that is robust as well as agile enough to respond to challenges such as increasing visitor
numbers, new technologies like ebikes and drones, and climate change impacts. In order to achieve this we recommend:A clearer and more directive national policy framework;Fewer, more integrated plans and a more streamlined planning process;New regional operational plans that link conservation management plans with the Department of Conservation’s budgetary
allocations;A strengthening of the role of regional Conservation Boards;An increased focus on management planning at place in partnership with iwi, hapu and whanau; andA strengthening of the oversight role, independence and powers of the New Zealand Conservation Authority.
“We hope these recommendations will demonstrate how the Conservation Management Planning System can be fixed. We have
recommended actions that can be implemented right away to improve the functionality of the system and deliver better
conservation outcomes.
“We will be incorporating the analysis and recommendations from this report into our major Conservation Law reform
project which will be concluding later this year.
“Our natural world is too special to be left languishing under a poorly functioning and outdated planning system. We
need to get on with fixing the system now,” concluded Dr Koolen-Bourke.