Conservation management strategies are 10-year regional strategies that are a handshake between DoC and the community.

They provide an overview of conservation issues and give direction for the management of public conservation land for which DOC has responsibility.

Their purpose is to establish general policies and objectives for the management of natural and historic resources, and for recreation, tourism, and any other conservation purposes.

Right now, DoC is renewing the CMS for the Wellington region, which extends right up through the Rangitikei and inland Hawkes Bay. It is a huge area with countless recreational opportunities and values.

NZRA has written an extensive 17 page submission on the Draft CMS that DoC has released for consultation. As you would expect, NZRA has advocated strongly for the interests and benefits of recreational users. In doing so, we consulted with and drew upon the views of a wide range of stakeholders including TrailFund, the New Zealand Canyoning Association, The New Zealand Alpine Club, FMC, Whitewater New Zealand and others.

Submitting on DoC Conservation Management Strategies or National Park Management Plans is a pretty tiresome process, but absolutely worthwhile. The Paparoa National Park Management Plan is a good example. When we compare the initial draft with the final plan published last year, we can see that our submission and suggestions (and those of others) resulted in changes that had real and concrete benefits for recreationalists.

Next for DoC is the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park Management Plan. NZRA will of course be making a submission on behalf of the recreational community.

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