Richmond tenure review delivers access, conservation gains
1 August 2006
The Richmond pastoral lease tenure review on the shores of Lake Tekapo will significantly improve public access to both lakeside and backcountry, Land Information New Zealand Crown Property Manager Paul Jackson said today.
As well as delivering a greater range of recreational activity, significant inherent values will be protected on approximately 3743 hectares that is to become public conservation land.
Lakeside land and access
Mr Jackson said the Richmond review offers for the first time direct access to Lake Tekapo from the main road (Lilybank Road). This has been made possible by two new 2 km-long stretches of conservation land running alongside the road at the northern and southern ends of the Richmond property.
These are the best parts of the lakeside land. They are the most sheltered and the most desirable for public recreation. They are also the least modified and still retain much of their natural character.
The area to be freeholded between these new lakeside conservation areas is highly developed, with cultivated pasture, deer fencing and farm buildings. Although public access along the lake-edge between the lakeside conservation areas is available along an unformed legal road, this route is somewhat exposed compared with the lakeside conservation areas.
Mountain land and access
Mr Jackson said another highlight of the Richmond review was that public access from the main road to the existing and new conservation land in the mountains east of the lake will be legally secure for the first time. These access routes will lie at the northern and southern ends of the Richmond property, and in the middle along the road to Round Hill skifield.
At the northern end of the property, a new public car park will be developed off the main road, from where walking, mountain bike and horse-riding access will be available over an existing farm track to new and existing conservation land in the Two Thumb Range.
At the southern end of the property, walking and mountain bike access will be developed to new and existing conservation land on the Richmond Range.
Public access along the (already) privately owned road through the lease to Round Hill skifield will be formalised and considerably strengthened. Access to the skifield in winter is being maintained, and in summer people will be able to drive 2 km up the road and walk or mountain bike to the skifield.
The skifield operator and the Department of Conservation have agreed to continue talks to improve public access to the conservation land beyond the ski field on the Richmond and Two Thumb Ranges. Currently, the skifield operator freely allows access across the field.
Meanwhile, land to become public conservation land includes shrublands, tussock grassland, fellfields and mountain ridges, Mr Jackson said.
The main area of new conservation land at the northern end of the property has been extended westwards in the final proposal to give a better altitudinal sequence of lowland shrublands, wetlands and tussock grassland. While the area to become conservation land in the Coal River bed has been reduced, the invertebrates that live there are also found in the adjacent lakeside conservation area.
Land to be freeholded
Concerns have been raised that land freeholded (approximately 5824 hectares) in the Richmond tenure review may be subdivided after the review is implemented. Mr Jackson said any activities on freeholded land will still have to comply with the Resource Management Act 1991 and district and regional plans, which provide the means for communities to determine appropriate land use.
Background to Tenure Review
The South Island high country tenure review programme established by the Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998 is delivering important gains for public access, conservation, and diversified use of the high country.
Since the programme began, about 162,000 hectares of productive pastoral lease land has been freeholded and about 117,500 hectares of land with significant inherent values has been returned to full Crown ownership as public conservation land.
In addition, about 45,500 hectares of pastoral lease land has become conservation land through whole or partial lease purchases. These have been made by the Nature Heritage Fund as an alternative to tenure review on the land concerned.
Tenure review is a consultative process. The views of all parties, including the leaseholder, Department of Conservation, Fish and Game, iwi, NGOs and the public are taken into account. Leasehold land with significant inherent values (SIVs) such as historic, scientific, ecological and/or cultural characteristics is generally protected through retirement to the conservation estate. The process endeavours to balance outcomes for both the leaseholder and the Crown.
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For further information:
Dave Chowdhury
Senior Communications Advisor
Land Information New Zealand
Private Box 5501
Wellington
PH: (04) 496 5402
FAX: (04) 472 1864
EMAIL: dchowdhury@linz.govt.nz
