Progress on five more tenure reviews

Land Information New Zealand has successfully negotiated tenure reviews for a further five South Island high country stations.

The settlement of tenure reviews at Mataura Valley, Silverbirch, Glenariffe, Omahau Downs and Glenfoyle will deliver a total of 9184 hectares of freeholded land to leaseholder farmers, and 7325 hectares to public conservation lands, after surveying and fencing of the land is complete. Under the Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998, Tenure Review delivers a balance of results including freehold ownership, increased public access and public conservation land.

• At Glenariffe in Canterbury, 3206 hectares of new public conservation area will allow walkers and mountain bikers access to Turtons Saddle and to the expansive area leading to Donalds Hill, or dropping to the North Branch of the Ashburton River headwaters. The new conservation area will help to preserve tall tussock grasslands, shrublands and high alpine tops as well as a small area of wetland near the Rakaia River. The new conservation area will form part of the northern section of conservation land adjoining recently acquired lands from the Double Hill tenure review as well as linking in with part of the Nature Heritage fund purchase of part of Clent Hills. Glenariffe tenure review gives the Ensor family 1593 hectares of freehold land. Once they receive title to the land the Ensors will have the flexibility to allocate different parts of the freehold property to family members.
   
• Tenure review at Glenfoyle will freehold 3088 hectares of land to the current leaseholder. The 447 hectares going to conservation area will help protect the habitat of the Otago skink. The property also includes one of the largest kanuka shrublands in the Lindis district, plus several uncommon plant species.
   
• The proposed conservation area (3645 hectares) at Mataura Valley contains a wide range of ecosystems and landforms, ranging from screes, alpine areas and tussocklands to wetlands and beech forest. The area gives protection to a diverse flora, which includes rare plant and animal species, such as the roundhead and flathead galaxiids.
   
• Ten of the 17 hectares at Omahau Downs being retained in Crown control will help protect the Twizel riverbed and its indigenous fauna, such as river-nesting birds. This outcome will also protect public access along the Twizel River and allow new opportunities to be created. The rest of the property, 161 hectares will be freeholded.
   
• The 112 hectares under Tenure Review at Silverbirch will be freeholded. A covenant will be placed on 2.3 hectares of land containing remnant riparian Silver beech forest.

Land Information New Zealand Manager, Crown Property Management, Paul Jackson says Tenure Review has delivered results for the five properties.

"Once the five reviews are implemented, leaseholder farmers who have never owned their land freehold get freehold title to part of it," he says. "This allows them to pursue their economic interests in the land, and improve productivity on it without the restraints of a pastoral lease."

"All the final proposals have been accepted by the leaseholders," Paul Jackson says. "Once a leaseholder accepts a final proposal, LINZ implements it. We survey the land and fence off the conservation area. Given the large areas of land involved and seasonal weather factors, that can take up to 12 months."

Public access to the conservation areas is not available until implementation is complete and DOC signs are put in place.

Sixteen properties have now finished Tenure Review under the Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998: Cairnhill; The Knobbies; Dome Hills I and II; Peak Hill; Dalrachney; Rhoboro Downs; Double Hill; Ben Avon; Alphaburn; Glen Nevis; Mt Pisa I and II; Quailburn; Clayton; Ben Ohau.

Leaseholders of a further 14 properties have accepted final proposals for their leasehold land at Eastburn, Waitiri, Glenlapa, Otamatapaio, Merrivale, Geordie Hills, Long Acre, Nine Mile, Shirlmar, Timburn, Raglan Run, West Wanaka, Glen Dhu and Stonehurst.

In addition to the 14 leases for which final proposals have been accepted, a further 17 proposals are in their final stages of development.

For further information please contact:

Paul Jackson
Manager, Crown Property
Land Information New Zealand
PO Box 5501
WELLINGTON
PH: 04 460 0158
FAX: 04 460 0590
CELL: 027 249 1258
EMAIL: pjackson@linz.govt.nz

LINZ media liaison:

Michael Mead
Senior Communications Adviser
Land Information New Zealand
PO Box 5501
WELLINGTON
PH: (04) 498 3516
FAX: (04) 472 1864
CELL: 027 444 3901
EMAIL: mmead@linz.govt.nz

Department of Conservation

Mike Clare
Tenure Review Manager
Department of Conservation
Canterbury Conservancy
Private Bag 4715
Christchurch
PH: 03 371 3726
FAX: 03 365 1388
CELL: 027 4415 632
EMAIL: mclare@doc.govt.nz

Department of Conservation media liaison:

Nicola Vallance
Community Relations Officer, media
Otago Conservancy
PH: (03) 474 6905
CELL: 027 2222 735
EMAIL: nvallance@doc.govt.nz

Leanne Scott / Sarah Mankelow
Community Relations Officer, media
Canterbury Conservancy
PH: (03) 379 9758
CELL: 025 643 8881

Federated Farmers media liaison

Bob Douglas
Secretary, South Island High Country Committee
Farming House
PO Box 665
Timaru
PH: (0800) 327-646
FAX: (03) 688-4096
HM TEL/FAX: (03) 686-4762
MOBILE: 021 622 822
EMAIL: southcanterbury.ff@fedfarm.org.nz