Freedom campers setting up for the night in the southern Catlins but not complying with the freedom camping bylaw could be asked politely to hit the trail.
The Southland District Council this week decided to set up a patrol to monitor ongoing problems caused by freedom campers.
Council environmental health manager Michael Sarfaiti said an enforcement officer would be employed to monitor Waikawa and Curio Bay in the Catlins.
The officer would act in a "tourist-friendly manner''.
The officer would have the authority to ask any person they believed had committed an offence under the Freedom Camping Act 2011 to leave.
"Council process is a tourist-friendly one, so the officer would educate [the campers] and request they move on.''
Fines could be levied if initial requests were unsuccessful.
The bylaw is similar to one introduced by the Clutha District Council last year for the northern part of the Catlins.
Mr Sarfaiti said freedom camping in the southern Catlins had caused problems in the past.
"There was significant rubbish, excessive use of public toilets and locals [were unable] to use the domain.''
The enforcement officer was likely to monitor southern Catlins camping spots from November until the end of April.
"Once we've started the process we may find that length of time may need to be shortened.''
The initiative would cost about $15,000 a year.
Up until now the only other place where an enforcement officer monitored camping in the Southland council's area was Te Anau.
Freedom camping was allowed on all council-owned land except where it was explicitly prohibited, Mr Sarfaiti said.
