Ruahine Conservation Park - change of status

Introduction

The Department of Conservation has called for public submissions over a proposal to revoke part of Ruahine Conservation Park to enable a land exchange application to be considered.

Consultation is now closed. View submissions.

Update: 5 October 2015

The application by the Hawke’s Bay Regional Investment Company to exchange land required for the Ruataniwha water storage scheme has been approved by DOC Director General Lou Sanson.

About the consultation

DOC has called for public submissions over a proposal to revoke part of Ruahine Conservation Park to enable a land exchange application to be considered. 

Final decisions on the proposal will be made after the submission process is completed.

Public submissions called on Ruahine land revocation proposal – media release 12 December 2014

Proposed land exchange

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Investment Company has applied to exchange 146 ha of private land, for 22 ha of the Ruahine Conservation Park, which it needs for the proposed Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme.

Before the proposed land exchange can take place, the conservation park status of the 22 ha of Ruahine Conservation Park involved must be revoked.

Area of land to be revoked

The area of conservation park land to be revoked contains black beech forest, native shrub land, a braided river channel, exotic forest and a small wetland.

Area of land to be acquired

The proposed land to be exchanged is on Smedley Station, adjacent to Gwavas Conservation Area. It is a larger block of black beech forest with podocarps, small leaved shrub species, small leaved treeland species and bracken grassland.

Further details of the existing ecological values of both blocks can be found in DOC's submission to the Minister of Conservation (PDF, 207K).

Ecological surveys 

Submissions

View the first two series of submissions.

Submissions of 3 March 2015

Submissions received in regard to the change of status and the exchange proposal:

Applicant right of reply:

Submissions of 19 June 2015

Submissions received in respect of DOC's Science and Capability report:

Applicant:

Hawke's Bay Regional Investment Company (HBRIC) via Graeme Hansen (PDF, 400K)

Submissions of May - June 2015

Responses to Letter (PDF, 429K) from Martin Williams, Counsel for Hawke's Bay Regional Investment Company.

Contact

David Bishop
Email: dbishop@doc.govt.nz
Phone: +64 4 471 3275