Rowi habitat of Okarito Forest
Image: Grant Maslowski | ©

Draft Westland Tai Poutini National Park Management Plan

Introduction

DOC has paused the review of the draft National Park Management Plan for Westland Tai Poutini National Park.

Stopping the Westland Tai Poutini National Park Management Plan review

DOC, in consultation with Ngāi Tahu and the West Coast Conservation Board, has agreed to stop the review of the Westland Tai Poutini National Park Management Plan.

The Plan was placed on pause in February 2019 to consider the implications of the Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Supreme Court decision. This decision clarifies that DOC and Ngāi Tahu have an important role in giving effect to the Treaty of Waitangi principles.

Changing environment

During the time the Plan was on pause, several things have changed, not only affecting the Park but also the whole West Coast. These include:

  • increased large weather events and the effects of climate change which are affecting matters such as access and safety
  • large additions to public conservation lands and waters in the region
  • many recreational activities have changed and some have increased in popularity.

Statutory work programme

As a result, the statutory work programme for the West Coast has been reprioritised to ensure statutory requirements are being looked at holistically and the resources are being prioritised in the right sequence. A national park management plan must be consistent with the conservation management strategy (CMS) and, due to the changes on the West Coast, the priority is to review the CMS first.

As a result, the decision has been made to stop the review of the Westland Tai Poutini National Park Management Plan and undertake a full review of the West Coast CMS, which was approved in 2010.

We acknowledge the considerable time and effort stakeholders and submitters have put into the review and their submissions. The information provided in your submissions will not be lost and will be used when the review of the park plan resumes and will help inform the future review of the CMS. 

DOC will start planning for a full review of the CMS. Due to the size of such a review, it may take several months before the review can be formally announced.

Submissions on the draft plan have closed

The submission period for the draft plan closed on 4 February 2019. 

View submissions on the draft plan

DOC received 1,361 submissions on the draft plan. View copies of all submissions. 

Note: This links to our Cerberus download site. Get help on downloading files.

To help you find any particular submission, see index of submitter names and numbers (XLSX, 78K).

Hearings postponed

DOC will not be holding the planned public hearings scheduled for March and April 2019. 

View the plan

Draft Westland Tai Poutini National Park Management Plan (PDF, 9,782K)

Maps in the draft Plan

Download maps as individual files:

Hard copies of the plan can be inspected during working hours between 9 am and 4:30 pm at:   

What to look for in the draft Westland Tai Poutini NPMP

The draft NPMP has been written in consultation with the West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board and in partnership with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio, and after consultation of key stakeholders and the public. The rūnanga have taken this opportunity to share their values, relationship and aspiration for the Park. This has been done through cultural narratives, policies provisions and design elements which have been used to identify and guide the Parts and sections within the NPMP. 

The parts and sections of the NPMP are:

  • Introduction – Kā Roimata a Rakinui – the beginning- This part provides a vision for the Park, introduction and a partnership framework for achieving an enduring living Treaty partnership
  • Part One: Te mana o Tai Poutini – the significance and stories of Poutini and the National Park.
  • Part Two: Kā Roimata o Aoraki – what we see today – cultural and spiritual significance of the Park, how the Park’s features were created; and the mana whenua values, natural, historic, mahika kai, recreation and engagement values and uses in the Park.
  • Part Three: Kā Roimata o Hinehukatere – what we need to know as guardians of the Park – the overarching objectives and policies for the Park.
    • Part Four: Places – There are three places identified in the Park are based on commonality of landscapes, ecosystems, values, uses and management issues. The outcomes, policies and milestones provide specific guidance for each Place.
    • Part Five: Reporting – the implementation, monitoring, reporting and milestones, to identify whether the Department is achieving the Plan’s directions.

The public notification of the draft NPMP is an opportunity to seek public views on all matters within the plan. There are two discussion boxes within the draft seeking specific feedback   on a proposed amenities area in the Franz Josef Glacier/Kā Roimata o Hinehukatere valley to facilitate other recreational and public amenities for public use and enjoyment, in this instance for a proposed gondola development. The second discussion box is to seek feedback on proposed recreational dog walking on specific tracks within the park. All of these provisions are to be read alongside all of the outcomes, policies and milestones within the draft plan. 

More information

Further background information on the developed draft plan can be found here:

Contact

If you have any further questions email westlandnp@doc.govt.nz.

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