Discretionary pastoral activity decision for Upper Lake Heron - Clearing scrub - A5175681

For this decision summary:

• LINZ received the application before 17 November 2022
• the decision was made under the Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998 before the amendments taking effect on 17 November 2022.

Clearing scrub

20 years

The benefits to farming from the scrub clearance are significant. It will allow the Lessee to clear limited amounts of scrub using handheld tools only to facilitate stock access between the hill country and the flats. We note that the delegate of the Director General of Conservation has advised that provided only hand tools are used to clear scrub and there is no herbicide spraying, there should be minimal effect on inherent values. The proposed conditions shall ensure that only the minimal amount of clearing necessary for the movement of stock is allowed.

Consent is granted to clear scrub, for the entire area within the Upper Lake Heron pastoral lease, subject to the following conditions:

1. That clearing of scrub may only be carried out for the purpose of opening stock access routes, i.e. facilitate stock movements.
2. That any scrub clearance is limited to the minimum amount necessary to achieve the aims of facilitating the movement of stock.
3. That only handheld tools may be used for the clearing. For avoidance of doubt, this includes the use of battery or petrol powered chainsaws.
4. That there shall be no use of herbicide sprays for the clearing of scrub.
5. The clearance of any rare or endangered plants, apart from matagouri, shall be avoided. If practical, an alternative route should be cleared to avoid any threatened plants.
6. Where possible, clearance should be on or near ridgelines and avoid gullies or valleys.
7. The width for any clearing shall be kept to the minimum necessary for stock movement. Where possible and practical, individual bushes should be retained within cleared areas to ensure landscape values are less compromised.
8. A change in ownership of the lease from the current Lessee shall result in this consent for handheld tool scrub clearance for the purpose of opening stock access routes, being cancelled and the new Lessee will be required to apply for a new scrub clearance consent.
9. That all contractors and employees carrying out clearance on Lake Heron Station under this consent are informed of these conditions prior to the clearing works starting.

The Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998 provides that permission to undertake the activity may still be needed under other enactments.