Straterra welcomes conservation mining report

The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s report on mining in the conservation estate brings a welcome dose of sanity to the mining debate, Straterra CEO Chris Baker said today.

He commended Dr Jan Wright for presenting mining as an activity that should be and can be an environmentally responsible activity – and said that this concept was already well established.

“Many companies already have as a goal to achieve a net positive impact on the environment from their activities, and the industry already works in this area with the Department of Conservation.”

“This is the reality of mining today in New Zealand,” Mr Baker said.

Activities by mining companies on conservation land include planting native trees and shrubs, pest control to benefit native species, and treatment and recycling of freshwater.

Mr Baker felt that Dr Wright’s recommendations for public input into decision-making for access, for significant projects, are appropriate.

But he disagreed with her recommendation that the Conservation should retain sole decision-making power over miners’ access to the 60% of conservation land not listed on Schedule 4.

“The economics of mining, management of environmental effects including after mine closure, and support for communities are viewed by the industry as a package.”

“For this reason, we think it does make sense for the Ministers of Conservation and of Energy and Resources to have joint decision-making powers on access applications.”

At present, Mr Baker said, more than 90% of applications for access to conservation mining are approved, with appropriate conditions.

Dr Wright said in her report that pest control, not mining, presented the greatest threat to New Zealand’s unique biodiversity.

She was optimistic that mining could occur as a “win-win” situation, provided that mining operations on public conservation land provide a net conservation benefit as well as compensating for the damage they cause.

Dr Wright's report recommends that:

- decisions on mining in conservation land be made solely by the Minister of Conservation;
- all proposals for access to the conservation estate for commercial uses be consistent with the purpose for which the land is managed;
- mining operations on conservation land provide a net conservation benefit;
- a national framework be developed to evaluate applications for mining on conservation land;
- information about mining on conservation land be made readily available on the internet;
- all significant conservation land access proposals be publically notified; and
- all ecological areas be added to Schedule 4 unless there is a good reason for exclusion.