Possibly because of opposition from the aforementioned groups, and in particular several Conservation Boards and the Conservation Authority, the promised public consultation over heli-hunting has been delayed well past the intended date.
Now, we hear just before Christmas that the so-called "Temporary Permits" will be rolled out for another year, 2011. How can an activity of such scale and which attracts such opprobrium be allowed to continue in lieu of public consultation and without formal concession approval?
In some ways, the delay is a good thing, because just look at what these so-called 'guides' are applying for now:
http://www.doc.govt.nz/about-doc/news/issues/heli-hunting/
"Additional land requested includes:
•National parks - Arthur’s Pass, Aoraki/Mt Cook, Mt Aspiring, Fiordland
•Wilderness Areas - Adams, Hooker Landsborough, Olivine, Glaisnock
•Recreational Hunting Areas - Lake Sumner
•St James Conservation Area
•Wapiti Block in Fiordland.
•Conservation land in Canterbury Conservancy which had proposed restrictions on aircraft use under the draft Guidelines for Aircraft Access."
Wilderness areas, National Parks, St James Conservation Area and areas with proposed restrictions? What, if anything, is the purpose of trying to manage aircraft impacts if this is allowed to stand?
Also, there is this:
"The proposed permit for 2011 is a modified version of the 2010 permit.
Changes are primarily around:
•removing conditions that went beyond what the legislation provides for (the herding and shooting from the air matters)
[...]"
So, in 2011, the door is being thrown open to the airborne equivalent of boy-racers. Have any of you read "Mountains without Handrails" by Joseph Sax? Public lands have a purpose - what we have here is our Department of Conservation actively working to encourage a privileged class of users of public land who negatively impact on the experience of all other users while doing everything in their power to avoid engaging in the experience these lands are there to provide.
