Concerns Stewardship land won't be guided in the right direction

The Environmental Law Initiative is concerned re-classification of Stewardship land is being pushed through too quickly, with potentially disastrous consequences, including that some of our public conservation land will be sold off for mining. Cherished land including pristine parts of the Southern Alps are included in the 2.7 million hectares (9%) of New Zealand's land area that has been designated as Stewardship land and is now up for review. Kathryn speaks with The Environmental Law Initiative's Senior Legal Advisor Allan Brent and Senior Researcher Matt Hall who fear the reclassification process is bearing down without adequate transparency, particularly with regard to vested interests like mining, and that the speed of the review lends to the possibility for disposal. They are concerned a cabinet paper directs panels to prioritise "the assessment for reclassification of any stewardship land where applications are sought for mining access arrangements", raising fears surrounding land's conservation classification and value could also be compromised, resulting in fragmented ecosystems where conservation land borders national parks. For example in South Westland they fear any weak classifications, or disposals for mining within the World Heritage area would endanger its very status. Government-appointed review panels are due to report their recommendations for Westland and open them up for consultation in early May, for a forty day period.. In Westland alone there are 500 parcels of Stewardship land.