Vegetation clearance hearing postponed

The unconsented clearance of indigenous vegetation at Hawea Flat which has angered conservation groups will be ''brought to a head'' eventually, despite the postponement of a hearing this week.

Peter Phiskie has applied to the Queenstown Lakes District Council for retrospective consent to clear indigenous vegetation from about 2.2ha of farmland between Domain Rd and the Hawea River walking and cycling track.

He has also proposed clearing a further 85sq m wheel track for a pivot irrigator.

The latter is a permitted activity under the district plan rules but the clearance work which has already been carried out is a restricted discretionary activity.

A hearing was to be held in Wanaka on Tuesday to consider the application but was postponed at Mr Phiskie's request and no new date has been set.

Seven submissions opposing the application were mostly concerned with the significant ecological effects and impact on visual amenity values for track users as a result of the clearance work.

The Upper Clutha Environmental Society sought the reinstatement of the 2.2ha already cleared without consent and opposed any additional clearance work.

It said the application would have significant adverse effects on rural amenity and naturalness and if granted, would set a precedent for the removal of large swathes of indigenous vegetation.

Kim Fogelberg said the clearance had left a ''desolate scar'' on the landscape and the compounding loss to the ecology and birdlife was significant.

''It is a repeating theme in this area of farm land being cleared without consideration to wider effects to the environment and what is left to our natural ecology and wildlife.''

The Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand considered the loss of vegetation was significant and land managers needed to be reminded of the importance of the area's remaining dryland ecosystem.

The Department of Conservation said the area was a threatened nationally critical land environment and part of a naturally rare glacial outwash surface ecosystem.

QLDC consultant planner Jane Sinclair has recommended the application be refused, on the grounds there would be an inappropriate level of adverse effects on nature conservation and natural character.

Approving the activity would require additional mitigation, specifically management of wilding pines, weeds and rabbit numbers; potential planting of kowhai and other species to enhance nature conservation values; adequate long-term protection and additional protection of remaining indigenous vegetation and the establishment of a buffer area between the Hawea River track and agricultural activities on the site.

QLDC general manager planning and development Marc Bretherton said although the hearing had been deferred with the agreement of the commissioner, given the consent application was partially retrospective and the level of community interest ''in all things to do with indigenous vegetation'', it was not the end of the matter.

''We look at this differently. It's a situation that does need to be resolved. It needs to be brought to a head, one way or the other.''

He suspected the fact the planner's report did not support the proposal meant the applicant needed to ''take stock of the content and understand the issues that have been identified''.

Last year, the Environment Court uplifted an interim enforcement order - obtained by Forest and Bird - against Hawea Flat farmer Dougal Innes, which had prevented him from further clearance of indigenous vegetation from his property.

The court found Mr Innes had acted responsibly and with due diligence before beginning the clearance work.

lucy.ibbotson@odt.co.nz

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