Discretionary pastoral activity decision - Cultivation - A6791706

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.

Cultivation

15 years with maintenance rights

The information provided by the lessee and the advice from the DGC delegate have been considered. Inherent values are low, and the Commissioner of Crown Lands has determined that making it easier to use the land concerned for farming purposes can be balanced with the desirability of protecting any inherent values. Appropriate conditions will help to mitigate the identified risks.

Consent is granted for cropping and cultivation, subject to the following conditions:

1. The areas outlined in dark blue on the plans attached may be cultivated for the purposes of growing feed or forage for livestock on the property.
2. Intensively grazed cattle must be excluded from the wetland areas shown outlined in red on the plans. Any setback is to be a minimum of 5m from the edge of the wetland, increasing with slope.
3. Cultivation and cropping is to be setback a minimum of 5m of the edge of wetlands and banks of waterways.
4. Generally, the width of setbacks is to increase as the slope of the adjacent land and width of waterways increases.
5. Patches of native shrubland averaging 2m in height or more are to be avoided where practical to do so.
6. Good management practices are to be undertaken to minimise the risk of soil erosion, including the use of minimum tillage and direct drilling techniques where possible, leaving soil bare for as short a period as possible, and avoiding cultivation of dry soil.
7. No area may be under the cultivation regime for more than three consecutive years at any one time before being established to permanent pasture.  During the cropping cycle raphanobrassica, brassica, rape, kale, ryecorn, greenfeed oats, and annual grasses may be sown.
8. Permanent pasture may include ryegrass, cocksfoot, timothy, chicory, plantain, clovers and pasture herbs.
9. The areas may be re-cultivated not more frequently than 10 yearly intervals.  During such re-cultivations, the conditions of this consent and any other local and regional authority rules apply.
10. Adequate fertiliser is to be applied to maintain a healthy sward without soil depletion.  Soil testing is to be undertaken to inform fertiliser requirements and to avoid over-application of nutrients, particularly phosphorus and nitrogen.
11. Only seed certified as being free of weed seeds and impurities is to be sown.

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