New Zealand’s native lizards and frogs are protected species. Before any development can begin on land where they’re found, you must develop a plan to ensure wildlife protection and have a DOC approved Wildlife Act Authorisation.
Development projects that may require these include work to clear vegetation, landscaping, any construction or road building.
How to apply
To apply for DOC approval you will need to:
- prepare a Lizard/Frog Management Plan
- include details of how impacts will be avoided
- fill in interacting with wildlife form 9a
- submit your applications by email or post (details on form)
Apply for your permit well before your project is due to start. To download forms, find out processing times or request a pre-application meeting see our interacting with wildlife page.
The below provides some guidance on what your Lizard/Frog Management Plan should include. We’ve also provided guidance on tools to ensure wildlife protection.
Writing a lizard and frog management plan
The following guidance should help develop a plan to manage impacts on lizards. Within these documents we’ve provided technical guidance on tools to ensure protection of lizards and frogs:
Template for a Lizard management Plan: Download DOC's template and model guide for producing lizard management plans (PDF, 1,813K)
Technical guidance on managing impacts of lizards during vegetation clearance (PDF, 10,882K).
Lizard salvage is a commonly used practice in New Zealand but no research yet exists to show if this tool will be effective in our context.
Experienced herpetologists have instead used their knowledge to devise nine principles to follow. Each principle should be reviewed and followed as detailed in the guide below:
Technical guidance on the activity of salvage: Key principles for lizard salvage and transfer in New Zealand (PDF, 5,714K)
The following guidance is a non-technical summary suitable for developers or the lay person. It outlines the issues that should be managed during developments where impacts of the development may affect lizards or frogs.
Guidance for developers (PDF, 7,283K)
A lizard and frog management plan is a site-specific plan that identifies potential risks to these species and steps to manage them and the above guidance will help you prepare a Lizard Management Plan for your project.
Contact
For more information or assistance with your application, contact our Hamilton office.