Friday, March 29, 2024

Ministers yet to receive low slope maps review

Neal Wallace
Nearly 300 landowners have contacted the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) to highlight discrepancies in its online land slope map.
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A Ministry spokesperson says 289 people have notified officials that the low slope maps were inaccurate with two-thirds saying they have some high-slope land within their land parcel that has been categorised as low-slope.

The maps are available on the MfE website and are designed to show landowners areas with an average slope less than or equal to 10 degrees which, under legislation introduced last year, require cattle and deer to be excluded from waterways.

It has been contentious as many farmers say the online maps do not reflect reality, prompting the Ministry to call for examples of discrepancies.

The spokesperson says it has received responses and information from every region but particularly from Wellington, Wairarapa, Manawatu, and Southland and Otago.

The review of the online maps is progressing and involves engagement between MfE and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) officials, primary sector bodies and regional council staff.

“We have not yet provided advice to ministers on options to address the issues made and will do so when our review is complete,” the spokesperson said.

“Any changes will happen only after the ministers have received and considered the advice provided.”

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