Outcomes at places
Information sheet: March 2011
Introduction
Conservation management strategies (CMSs) contain the conservation outcomes we want to
achieve for various places within public conservation lands and waters. You are being asked to
help define what these outcome statements should be for the places you are interested in.
Defining places
There is no hard and fast rule about which places should be in a CMS. That is up to the
community, tangata whenua, the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Conservation Board to
decide. It is most likely that DOC will have an initial attempt at identifying those important
places in your community and then ask for your feedback and direction. The entire conservancy
may be divided into places (and fitted together like a jigsaw), or places may be identified by their
special, unique or complex management—not every part of the conservancy needs to be in a
place.
The Place section is the key focus of any CMS. This section brings together the integrated
management of natural, recreational, historical and cultural outcomes for any given place. If
there are conflicts between these, the resolution for managing them will be made clear in this
section of the CMS.
Outcomes at places—what are they?
Each Place section of the CMS will contain an outcome statement. This statement uses words to
describe what the place will be like in the next 10 years or more. It is important to be clear about
this, as these statements will guide decisions about how DOC and others will manage and use
public conservation resources in these places over the next 10 years.
Examples
Here are some examples of what outcome statements for two imaginary places could look like.
Special Island1
Special Island is a valued community treasure for Aucklanders. The island provides a sanctuary
for rare and threatened indigenous species in a well-established, regenerating forest environment.
Abundant populations of threatened species provide opportunities to establish new populations
elsewhere. Risks to biosecurity are well managed.
Key conservation initiatives are undertaken and managed by community groups, who are
achieving long-term habitat restoration, and providing and managing facilities, interpretation and
guided walking opportunities for visitors.
As an icon visitor destination, visitors will be rewarded with the experience of seeing some of New
Zealand’s most endangered birds in the wild while walking on the tracks. Visitors are managed at
point of entry and through guided walking opportunities so that the island’s natural, historical and
cultural values are protected, and the quality of the visitor experience is maintained.
1
This is made up for illustrative purposes only.
Outcomes at places
Visitors choose between independent exploration of the track system or joining a guided day or
evening walking party. Low-key, eco-friendly visitor facilities enable overnight visitors to enjoy the
unique sound of the dawn chorus. These facilities also support opportunities for scientific research,
education and volunteer activities, and are clustered together.
The nationally significant lighthouse settlement complex is protected in conjunction with Maritime
New Zealand. Interpretation of these sites facilitates exploration by visitors.
DOC continues to work with tangata whenua in its management of the island and coordinates
management of the historic pā sites.
This tells us that the community truly values the biodiversity on the island and articulates which
values they want to maintain, while DOC is focusing on providing a nationally important visitor
destination that is carefully managed. There are opportunities for commercial interests, though
there are constraints around this. Regardless of what activity occurs on the island, the historic
integrity of the lighthouse settlement must be protected.
Sample for Mountain Range Catchment2
Mountain Range is valued by the Bay Of Plenty and Waikato communities as a scenic landscape
with continuous forest cover that provides a wide range of ecosystem services, including flood
protection and the supply of high-quality water to the surrounding communities. The skyline ridge is
unmodified by man-made features. Mountain Range had a history of exploitation and extractive
industry, but is now a place of recreation and appreciation of historical and natural values.
The icon visitor destination of Historic Gorge is where sympathetically designed facilities enable
day visitors to be immersed in the rich mining history in a natural setting. It is an important
entrance to the Mountain Range Heritage Trail.
Visitors to Sloping Valley enjoy an easy introductory family overnight walk where visitors learn
about the logging history of the area.
Guided cycling opportunities at the Mountain Range Loop Track offer a great experience within
the physical capabilities of the track whilst ensuring the safety for all track users. Recreational
cycling opportunities do not occur on this track.
The Historic Gorge link track is an important local access point to High Mountain and the
Mountain Range Heritage Trail for day walkers, trampers and hunters.
Happy Road End continues to be the only DOC-managed access point to the central part of
Mountain Range. The central zone provides for backcountry, non-motorised recreation
opportunities, including hunting and mountain biking.
The community, with the support of other agencies, is actively involved in the restoration of
ecosystems, particularly the biodiversity values of the Foggy Plateau as a habitat for kōkako.
DOC continues to work with tangata whenua in its management of Mountain Range and culturally
significant sites within it.
All known heritage sites are safe for visitors and protected from unavoidable degradation. Those
alongside the Mountain Range Heritage Trail are actively conserved and provide high-quality
interpretation.
The scenic and ecosystem values are what make this place special. It has a long history of use
that is reflected in the way this place will be managed into the future. It is not a place where
biodiversity values differentiate it from other natural places, though there are some special spots
within these mountains. Visitors are encouraged primarily to go to the northern part of the
mountains, with limited facilities provided elsewhere.
2
This is made up for illustrative purposes only.
Outcomes at places
How to develop an outcome for a place
You may be asked to join a team to develop outcomes for places or to provide individual input.
Be prepared by thinking about the following:
• Where do you go?
• Why do you go to these places?
• What do you want to do at these places in the future?
• What do you value about these places now and into the future?
• What might change the things you value about these places?
Where elaboration is required, policies may be included in the Place sections. Their intent is to
explain further what the outcome is to achieve—not to repeat the content of the outcome
statement.
More information
For more information, email [email protected] or visit the DOC website
www.doc.govt.nz/cms.
Outcomes at places