The Conservation Act 1987 is New Zealand's principal act concerning the conservation of indigenous biodiversity. The Act established the
Department of Conservation (who administer the Act) and
Fish and Game, and complements the
National Parks Act 1980 and the
Reserves Act 1977.
The Conservation Act and the management strategies (CMS) and plans (CMPs) that are created under it have the overriding principle of "protection". This is contrasted with the overriding principle of New Zealand's most important planning statute, the
Resource Management Act 1991
The Resource Management Act (RMA) passed in 1991 in New Zealand is a significant, and at times, controversial Act of Parliament. The RMA promotes the sustainable management of natural and physical resources such as land, air and water. New Zeal ...
(RMA), which is "sustainable management" (s5, Resource Management Act 1991). Whilst there is often overlap between the RMA and the Conservation Act, the principle of protection has primacy over that of sustainable management.
The Conservation Act also sets up a hierarchy of consideration of activities occurring on public conservation land under s6(e):
:"to the extent that the use of any natural or historic resource for recreation or tourism is not inconsistent with its conservation, to foster the use of natural and historic resources for recreation, and to allow their use for tourism"
This hierarchy places the greatest weight on intrinsic value, followed by non-commercial recreation, and then by tourism. An important role in conservation advocacy in New Zealand is ensuring that these three separate considerations are maintained, rather than blurred.
National Parks retain a separate Act of Parliament, which sets up a similar, but more stringent planning regime.
The Conservation Act also sets out a number of Specially protected areas:
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Conservation parks
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Wilderness area
Wilderness or wildlands (usually in the plural), are natural environments on Earth that have not been significantly modified by human activity or any nonurbanized land not under extensive agricultural cultivation. The term has traditionally re ...
s
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Ecological areas
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Sanctuary areas
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Watercourse areas
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Amenity areas
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Wildlife management area
A Wildlife Management Area (WMA) is a protected area set aside for the conservation of wildlife and for recreational activities involving wildlife.
New Zealand
There are 11 Wildlife Management Areas in New Zealand:
* Horsham Downs Wildlife Man ...
s
See also
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Minister of Conservation
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Conservation in New Zealand
Conservation in New Zealand has a history associated with both Māori and Europeans. Both groups of people caused a loss of species and both altered their behaviour to a degree after realising their effect on indigenous flora and fauna.
Protected ...
References
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External links
Text of the Act
Statutes of New Zealand
1987 in New Zealand law
Nature conservation in New Zealand
1987 in the environment