Discretionary pastoral activity decision for Mt St Bathans - Clearing scrub - A5875609

For this decision summary:

• LINZ received the application before 17 November 2022
• accordingly, the decision was made under the Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998 excluding the amendments taking effect on 17 November 2022.

Clearing scrub

10 years (with maintenance rights)

The Commissioner of Crown Land delegate has determined that the proposed clearing will both protect the inherent values while controlling briar, matagouri, broom, elderberry and hawthorn. It is very important to enable the compliance of weed control with both the Otago Pest Management Plan and the pastoral lease. The conditions imposed are to ensure that the scrub clearance within the areas consented to, does not adversely affect inherent values that it is desirable to protect.

The Commissioner of Crown Land identified a number of inherent values and suggested part of the Airstrip Track block (shaded red on the attached plan) to be declined due to the importance of protecting the inherent values located in this area. These values include:

• Desert broom – (at risk-declining)
• Coprosma intertexta – (at risk-declining)
• Orchid (Pterostylis tanypoda) – (at risk-declining)
• Native dandelion (Sonchus novae-zelandiae) and potentially other areas (nationally vulnerable)
• Creeping herb (Tetrachondra hamiltonii) – and is associated with ephemeral wetlands (nationally vulnerable) 
• Coral broom (Carmichalia crassicaulis subsp. Crassicaulis) and potentially other areas (at risk-declining)
• Green skink – may be present (at risk-declining)
• Southern Alps gecko – may be present (at risk-declining)
• Cryptic skinks – may be present (at risk-declining) 
• Galaxias aff. Paucispondylus – have been found within 500m of Airstrip Track (nationally endangered) 
• Longfin eel – have been recorded on the property (at risk-declining) 
• Central Otago roundhead galaxias – have been found on the edge of the property (threatened – nationally endangered) 
• Oleria bullata – present in and potentially other areas (uncommon in Central Otago)
• Natural ecosystems
• Diverse shrublands
• Mosaic of tarns, riparian areas and interconnecting wet areas  

Given the presence of the above inherent values at the Airstrip Track block, aerial spraying within this area could have a detrimental impact on these values. However, it is very important to have the ability to control exotic weeds and for stock access to be available. Therefore condition 3 has been included to mitigate any detrimental impacts on the inherent values.

Consent is granted for clearing scrub, subject to the following conditions:

1. Matagouri and associated exotic weed species can be cleared by spraying. The spraying of native woody species must be avoided.
2. No spraying within 20 metres of all permanent water courses and rock outcrops except where the weed is broom. In these situations, spraying should be restricted to spot spraying.
3. Spraying within part of the Airstrip Track block (shaded red on map) is limited to spot spraying of exotic weeds. Stock access routes must be identified on the ground, a plan of the proposed stock routes sent to LINZ for review and approval by the Commissioner of Crown Land or Commissioner of Crown Land delegate prior to the spraying taking place. The review of the proposed stock plan may include a field inspection at the discretion of Toitū Te Whenua LINZ.
4. No spraying of the area located by a red dot on the attached plan and further identified by the photo attached to this Notice of Decision.
5. No herbicide spraying shall be undertaken in windy conditions.
6. The lessee shall ensure that the GPS records from any helicopter spraying, showing where herbicide has been applied, are retained for at least 5 years after the spraying has occurred and supply these records to the CCL or his delegate upon request. The helicopter company and pilot carrying out the spraying must hold the relevant qualifications/ratings for applying agrichemicals.
7. Any equipment or machinery used for the clearing shall be cleaned of any soil or plant material at a location off Mt St Bathans pastoral lease prior to carrying out the clearing.
8. That all contractors and employees working on Mt St Bathans pastoral lease in relation to this consent are informed of the conditions of this consent prior to works starting.

The Crown Pastoral Land Act 1998 provides that permission to undertake the activity may still be needed under other enactments.