Discretionary pastoral activity decision - Oversowing and Top-Dressing (OSTD) - A6724160

For this decision summary:

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

Oversowing and Top-Dressing (OSTD)

Life of lease

For the part of the consent that was granted:

The Commissioner of Crown Lands has determined that granting consent to oversow and top-dress the area is desirable for sustainability and will make it easier to use the land for farming purposes. Inherent values that the Commissioner wishes to protect include wetlands, landscape values and indigenous vegetation and conditions ‘1-8’ are required to achieve this. Condition ‘6’ is necessary as there is significant evidence of areas that have been oversown and top-dressed and then not maintained reverting rapidly to hawkweeds.

For the part of the consent that was declined:

The Commissioner of Crown Lands has determined if consent were granted this would adversely affect inherent values that the Commissioner wishes to protect including wetlands, landscape values and indigenous biodiversity and vegetation. While consent may have been granted previously to oversow and top-dress these areas, the indigenous vegetation remains dominant.

Consent is granted in part for oversowing and top-dressing, subject to the following conditions: 

1. There should be no OSTD activity within 20 metres buffer of any wetland (including seepage) or permanent or seasonal waterway.
2. There should be no OSTD activity within 10 metres of any indigenous shrublands or forest.
3. OSTD over rocky outcrops i.e. containing larger, prominent, or more extensive rock outcropping and associated rock debris shall be avoided. Note these areas are likely to provide habitat for lizard species.
4. OSTD is to be carried out by an appropriately qualified operator/pilot capable of precision placement, in accordance with best practice guidelines, with fertiliser and seed is to be applied strategically using modern GPS managed application. GPS data to be made available to LINZ on request.
5. That a hill country seed mix guaranteed weed free is used.
6. That subsequent grazing is managed to avoid the removal of tussock cover.
7. That following initial over sowing, the land is maintained with adequate fertiliser on a regular basis to prevent reversion to exotic weeds such as hawkweed.
8. This consent replaces the following Lowburn Valley oversowing and topdressing consents: 
   Top-dress and sow seed dated 9 April 2003 
   Top-dress and sow seed dated 19 June 2000 
   Top-dress and sow seed dated 16 March 1999 
   Top-dress and sow seed dated 1 October 1998
9. That all contractors and employees operating under this consent are informed of the conditions prior to commencing any seed sowing and/or top-dressing. 

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