The Tourism Industry Association says New Zealand's $20b tourism business could be in jeopardy if the conservation estate is opened up to mining.
The Government has ordered a review to see whether areas of Department of Conservation (DoC) land with mining potential but low environmental value could be taken off a list of land protected from mining interests.
The Tourism Industry Association says New Zealand's natural landscapes are one of the main drawcards for international visitors and are also important for domestic tourism.
Chief executive Tim Cossar, who says that in the long term tourism may be more valuable and sustainable for New Zealand's economy than mining, wants an assurance that the Government will consider the importance of conservation lands to tourism before making any decisions about mining.
The Government review, announced on Friday by Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee, will cover land with mining potential that is currently listed under Schedule 4 of the Crown Minerals Act 1991, which protects DoC land with the highest conservation values, including parks, reserves and wildlife sanctuaries from mining interests.
Mr Brownlee has asked Crown Minerals to identify areas that would have potential for mining if not protected by Schedule 4. Not all DoC land is protected.
The monetary value of New Zealand's mineral deposits, excluding $100b worth of coal lignite, is conservatively estimated to be at least $160 billion. It is estimated that 70% of these deposits are in land controlled by DoC.
Mr Brownlee said there were already examples of conservation and mining co-existing, such as the Pike River coalmine on the West Coast.
Fears West Coast, Coromandel will be targeted
Environmental groups fear that regions with proven histories of mining, such as tCoromandel and West Coast, will be targeted if conservation land is opened up to mining.
Buller Conservation Group spokesperson Peter Lusk says the West Coast could be particularly hard hit, because it contains two national parks, a national reserve and ecological areas.
Greenpeace is demanding to know which areas of conservation land the mining industry wants access to, saying that none of the land in Schedule 4 should be considered for exploration.
And Environment and Conservation Organisations co-chairperson Barry Weeber says special privileges for mining activities on conservation land, such as not having to go through an environmental assessment process, should be removed.
Minerals Industry Association chief executive Doug Gordon says exploration investment needs the kind of certainty that areas with proven mining histories could provide. He says, however, that environmentally valuable land will not be targeted.
