Part 1.2 - High-Level Objectives of the Vote
Government Priorities and Outcomes - Links to Appropriations
| Government Priorities | Government Outcomes | Appropriations |
|---|---|---|
| Building a more productive and competitive economy | New Zealanders gain environmental, social and economic benefits from healthy functioning ecosystems, from recreation opportunities, and from living our history. | Management of Natural Heritage |
| Management of Historic Heritage | ||
| Crown Contribution to Regional Pest Management Strategies | ||
| Management of Recreational Opportunities | ||
| Conservation with the Community | ||
| Policy Advice, Statutory Planning, and Services to Ministers and Statutory Bodies MCOA Policy Advice output class Statutory Planning, Services to Ministers and Statutory Bodies output class |
Objectives of the Vote
The Department of Conservation (DOC) is charged with promoting conservation of the natural and historic heritage of New Zealand on behalf of, and for the benefit of, present and future generations.
The main functions of DOC are to:
- manage land, fresh and coastal waters, and historic sites that have been protected for conservation purposes - about 8.5 million hectares of land, 33 marine reserves (covering almost 1.28 million hectares), and 6 marine mammal sanctuaries (covering approximately 2.4 million hectares)
- encourage recreation on these public conservation lands and waters by providing visitor facilities, including walking, biking and 4WD tracks, huts, campsites, visitor centres and access to historic sites
- authorise tourism operators and other third party activities such as grazing, electricity generation and transmission, mining and the use of sites for telecommunication purposes on public conservation lands and waters
- protect marine mammals, preserving native freshwater fisheries, and protecting recreational freshwater fisheries and freshwater fish habitats, and conserving protected native wildlife
- advocate generally for the conservation of natural and historic resources, providing conservation information, and supporting international agreements designed to improve environmental management in New Zealand and internationally
- support the Minister of Conservation in exercising her responsibilities under the Resource Management Act 1991 for the coastal and marine environment, including in relation to councils' policies and plans, and consent applications regarding the coastal and marine environment
- provide policy and legal advice to the Minister of Conservation, contributing to whole-of-government policy processes, and servicing ministerial advisory committees and the New Zealand Conservation Authority.
DOC interprets and administers the Conservation Act 1987 to give effect to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in accordance with section 4 of the Act.
DOC works across the central government sector, primarily, but not exclusively, through the natural resources sector group. It works in partnerships with tangata whenua; landowners; regional and local government; businesses; science providers; recreation, outdoor and conservation organisations; philanthropists; and community groups.
DOC's mandate and context is also set by a statutory planning framework that supports the legislation: the Conservation General Policy, the General Policy for National Parks, and the strategies and plans that flow from these policies. A series of Conservation Management Strategies identify the places that DOC manages on behalf of New Zealanders, and establish outcomes at these places and high-level objectives that provide guidance for the management of public conservation lands and waters.
