Park potential seen in Remarkables

There is potential for the  the Remarkables area to be classified as a new conservation park.

The prospect  was raised in Queenstown yesterday by the Doc director-general, Lou Sanson.

However, he said it would not be popular with Ngai Tahu.

Mr Sanson said Doc’s preference was for the Government to give "some certainty to New Zealand" if an area was for recreation, or further development, for example mining.

"Ngai Tahu is saying ‘no’ to such decisions until we have worked through our National Parks Act.

"I’m just throwing it [the Remarkables proposition] out there.

"I don’t know if it’s a good idea or not."

At present, the land between the Remarkables and the Hector Mountains is classified as stewardship land.

When the department was formed in 1987, public land passed into its management and was classified as stewardship land until the Government decided what to do with it.

And  according to the Forgotten Lands Campaign, more than 10% of New Zealand land  remained in what has been described as a "statutory holding pen". As stewardship land, it does not have the level of protection and active management afforded to other areas managed under the Conservation Act 1987, or the National Parks Act 1980.