As they (quite rightly) say – “there’s no such thing as a free lunch!”   Don’t be fooled by the apparently magnanimous offer by Environment Southland at present to “receive a FREE Ecological Survey”.  It is merely an excuse to get them onto your land where they will data mine and record every possible reason they can find to designate large areas of your property as “SNA” – Significnt Natural Areas.  This is one of the more recent Govt tools to enable a ‘land grab’ (with Northland having 40% of their total land area designated ‘SNA” last year!)   Once your land is designated “SNA”, you have to fence it, maintain it and do weed control but you cannot graze it or use it for any productive purposes.   Many farmers on the SI West Coast lost more than 30% or more of their farms recently – this can make the difference to the viability or not of your farm – and/or whether you still have equity at the Bank.

Key language giveaways in the advert include them asking if you are “interested in the significiance of your land” (ie mapping SNA’s) and saying ‘understand the ways it can be managed for the future” ie removed from your management.

With the new NES – DW (National Environmental Standards – Drinking Water) – there is no doubt they will also be mapping waterways, fences and a great deal more once you have given them access to your land.  Silence is also consent – so don’t ‘do nothing’ – contact ES and tell them clearly that you do not consent and that they do not have permission to access your land.

DON’T book a “Free Ecological Survey” with Environment Southland!

Click on this video link     https://fb.watch/d_8GOLfv7J/