The recent conviction of a Murchison farmer and his associated business for illegally clearing almost 10 hectares of native bush on two sites, has emphasised the need to check and understand the district plan rules associated with an activity before doing work.
The sentencing Judge said that the offending was a “serious failure” of the defendants to fail to check the district plan provisions – in our case, this is the Tasman Resource Management Plan (TRMP).
Nearly half of our native plants and 82% of native birds are currently threatened or at risk of extinction. The removal of indigenous forest from both properties has had a significant adverse impact on the environment, resulting in the loss of valuable habitat for animals like kākā and South Island robin.
We acknowledge that making people aware of where to find the best information can reduce the likelihood of illegal activity taking place and the potential for prosecution.
Before doing any work on your farm or rural property, we recommend you assess the activity against these rules to make sure you comply with our permitted activity status or whether you need to apply for Resource Consent.
The TRMP rules around the removal of indigenous forest can be found here.(external link)
Our Tasman Rural Hub(external link) is also a great resource for finding out the regulatory requirements for your activities.
If you have any doubts about whether your proposed work will need Resource Consent, or have any questions, please contact our Duty Planner via NRDutyPlanner@tasman.govt.nz.