We are authorised by Section 77 of the Reserves Act 1977 to establish conservation covenants with landowners on private land. Covenants on Māori land can be created under the Te Turi Whenua Māori Act 1993.
A covenant can be placed on a site at any time.
The costs to set up a covenant are met by the landowner. These include:
- application fees
- expert reports
- surveying
- legal costs
- registering the covenant on the property title.
To establish a covenant with us, an applicant should contact the Infrastructure Planning Department who will provide additional information about what is required and how to establish a covenant.
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Covenants may also be established as part of a subdivision to give permanent protection or enhancement to an area.
Your responsibilities
If you have created a covenant or bought property with one, you are responsible for its management. Some funding may be obtained for assistance with fencing and pest control, although this is not guaranteed.
Your responsibilities may include:
- undertaking pest and weed management
- maintenance of access tracks and perimeter fences
- encouraging the regeneration of native vegetation.
You are responsible for ensuring that the site is preserved. Any work restricted by the covenant agreement will require our prior written approval.
Monitoring
We carry out ecological monitoring of the covenant, ten years from the date of agreement, and then at ten year intervals. The monitoring assesses and reports on the state of the covenant. We provide a copy of the report to the landowner.