Discretionary pastoral activity decision - Clearing scrub - A7100094

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.

Clearing scrub

10 years

The Commissioner of Crown Lands has determined that the proposed scrub clearance has positive farming benefits, and the conditions will enable any adverse effects on inherent values to be avoided, remedied, or mitigated. The clearance is needed to facilitate the removal of pine plantations, wilding pines, and other wilding exotic tree species, and is largely unavoidable given the nature of the felling operations. The scrub is comprised mainly of woody weed species such as thyme and briar, so adverse effects on indigenous species are expected to be less than minor.

Consent is granted to clear scrub, subject to the following conditions:

1. Consent is granted to clear or fell bush or scrub only within the areas indicated in green on the attached plans, as part of the exotic tree clearance operation.
2. The Lessee shall ensure that if a logging management company and/or logging contractor is engaged to carry out the work, that they are suitably qualified and experienced to carry out the work to industry best standards.
3. Notwithstanding condition 2, the Lessee is to ensure that any logging contractor responsible for clearing and felling the bush or scrub carries out the works under accepted good environmental management practices associated with forestry harvesting.
4. Following any physical clearing or felling, the vegetation is to be windrowed where possible, with windrows sited within the areas identified in green on the attached map and located away from any waterways. The burning of these windrows will be subject to the Notice of Decision relating to burning A7100096.
5. That this consent is limited to the clearing of exotic woody weeds (i.e. gorse, broom and briar).
6. Notwithstanding condition 5, it is acknowledged and accepted that some native shrubs will need to be cleared where they grow amongst areas dominated by wilding trees or other exotic weeds.
7. Care shall be taken to minimise clearance of remnant vegetation on steeper slopes to reduce erosion.
8. Any disturbed ground resulting from the clearing shall be either planted in native species in accordance with the associated Notice of Decision for planting A7100102 or sown with seed and top-dressed in accordance with the Notice of Decision for oversowing and top-dressing A7100093.
9. If any historic sites are accidentally uncovered in the process of carrying out the proposed activity, earth disturbance work should cease, and the appropriate authorities should be notified.
10. It is the Lessee’s responsibility to ensure that everyone involved with the activities is made aware of all conditions of this consent, and the need to comply with them, prior to undertaking the activities.

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