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Recreation Aotearoa has welcomed proposed changes to conservation legislation that could reduce barriers for young people participating in outdoor education activities on public conservation land.
The proposed reforms are included in the Government’s Conservation Amendment Bill announced this week by Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.
Reduced concession requirements welcomed
The Bill proposes exempting some low-impact activities from requiring concessions on Department of Conservation land.
Recreation Aotearoa chief executive Sarah Murray says the current concession system creates major financial and administrative barriers for not-for-profit outdoor education providers.
“By exempting low-impact not-for-profit outdoor education activities from concession requirements, the government can help more young people experience and enjoy our special places.”
Sarah says providers currently face the same processes and costs as large commercial operators when running activities such as kayaking, tramping and rock climbing on conservation land.
“This expensive and lengthy process can take years to navigate and cost thousands of dollars that would be far better spent on getting kids outdoors.”
Concerns over visitor charging
Recreation Aotearoa has also raised concerns about proposals allowing visitor charging on conservation land.
While the current proposal focuses on international visitors, Sarah says the organisation opposes measures that could reduce public access to DOC land.
“While we note the current proposal limits charging to international visitors, we urge the government to fully optimise existing revenue mechanisms, such as the International Visitor Levy, car-parking charges, and facility fees, before opening the door to broader access charging.”
National policy statement
The Bill will be accompanied by a new National Conservation Policy Statement, which Recreation Aotearoa says must prioritise recreation access for New Zealanders.
The organisation also opposes proposals allowing the sale or exchange of conservation land, warning of potential impacts on recreation opportunities and biodiversity values.
