 |
Conservation
INTRODUCTION
New Zealand is a nation of stunning vistas and unparalleled beauty, and government has a duty and obligation to preserve this natural heritage. We must also maintain the natural environment and cultural heritage sites as a growing source of tourism income, while ensuring they are not compromised.
The conservation of our country's natural and cultural heritage has international significance, and is a New Zealand First priority.
PLANS
New Zealand First will:
- enhance and protect the rights of all New Zealanders to access their cultural heritage sites and clarify and amend legislation associated with protecting these heritage sites, buildings, and objects. The protection of our historic heritage is vital;
- improve documentation of important Maori sites of cultural or spiritual significance with appropriate local councils, thereby ensuring a 'no surprises' policy of where these sites exist;
- ensure the conservation of indigenous biodiversity;
- provide conservation authorities with the necessary resources and legislative framework to ensure that the role of protecting the conservation estate is not at odds with the commercial ventures which utilise that estate including the tourism industry and the opportunity for high quality outdoor recreational experiences;
- prior to concluding the tenure review process, investigate fully the baseline costs needed to maintain the expanding conservation estate being built up by the current government;
- develop further co-management plans and structures to increase conservation gains on a wider scale, and also as part of the process of tenure reviews;
- commit additional funding for possum and other plant and animal pest control, and for management programmes including the development of alternatives to 1080, initially with a regional pilot programme where the costs of 1080 drops in that region will be transferred to the alternative pilot programme. It is recognised that until an adequate cost-effective replacement for 1080 exists it remains a necessary evil in the battle against tuberculosis and other animal transferred diseases;
- require effective co-ordination between relevant government agencies to ensure appropriate deterrents exist to poaching and trafficking of protected species;
- support 'threatened species' recovery programmes and protection and restoration of the habitat;
- ensure public access to the Queen's Chain;
- encourage local government use of the community wage scheme for conservation and weed and pest control activities;
- rationalise pastoral leases to promote ecologically sustainable land use, with special attention to 'protected natural areas';
- support the Historic Places Trust, Forest Heritage Fund, QEII Trust, Landcare, and Nga Whenua Rahui and explore other means of encouraging the voluntary protection of natural and historical resources in private ownership;
- support consultative debate on the issue of extractive industries and their roles in local economies. In principle, New Zealand First believes that mining could take place on conservation land, providing that core conservation values are maintained; and,
- continue to advocate against the exploitation of Antarctica, and for the cessation of all whaling.
|
|
