The Department of Conservation's role as an advocate for the environment has been questioned by an Otago Conservation Board member.
Chaz Tanner was commenting on Doc's role in relation to the Government's schedule four review regarding mining on conservation land.
"The statutory role of Doc is to advocate for conservation and yet the department has been silenced on this issue," he said at a recent board meeting.
Otago conservator Marian van der Goes said the department's role was to provide advice to the Government when asked for by ministers.
That advice about conservation values was reflected in the discussion document recently released, she said.
She expected more advice would be asked for by ministers after public debate and submissions.
Board member Iris Scott said she liked to think the conservation land stocktake was more about information gathering and "the time to howl" was when the Government did something with it.
Chairman Hoani Langsbury said the board was pleased Mt Aspiring National Park had been left out of the stocktake but would continue to advocate to ensure areas in schedule four in Otago conservancy were retained.
"You would think areas would have had to jump to high levels to get on schedule four in the first place."
They were also concerned about the Government exploiting other parts of New Zealand, he said.
Board member Abby Smith said Doc was "not necessarily falling down in its responsibility; it is just doing what it can do".
The Government should be looking at conservation values and then at mining opportunities, not the other way around, Assoc Prof Smith said.
The board decided to write a submission conveying its views to the Minister of Economic Development and other relevant ministers.
