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Alarm bells are ringing in some quarters at the growing size of the conservation estate, which critics are labelling a "land grab".
But conservationists counter that conservation land was a primary lure for overseas tourists, while also protecting biodiversity and endangered species.
The Department of Conservation manages 42 per cent of the South Island, up from 39 per cent in 2003, and 17 per cent of the North Island, down 1 per cent on 2003.
This translates into 31 per cent of the land mass of the two islands, an increase of 1 per cent since 2003.
The size of the land under DoC management has led for calls for a national debate on whether this was the best way to manage the land.
The chairman of the farming lobby group the High Country Accord, Ben Todhunter, said while DoC was acquiring more land to manage, it admitted in its annual report that it was losing the battle to retain threatened species of bird such as the kiwi and yellowhead.
"We think they've got enough. The question is what is an appropriate amount of land for DoC to manage and still do its core functions properly and effectively? I don't think that question has been asked."
The National Party has also called for debate on the issue.
"There needs to be a fresh look at DoC's priorities," conservation spokesman Nick Smith said. "The ongoing expansion of the conservation estate is not necessarily the best way to protect native birds and species."
Dr Smith said the conservation estate needed a broad cross section of land and biodiversity, but added that it "was too easy just to continue grabbing more of the same".
Tekapo farmer Andrew Simpson said that the use of livestock grazing and fertiliser meant he was able to keep areas of his property free of wilding pines, a weed that was quickly becoming a major problem in the high country.
Forest and Bird Protection Society manager Mike Britton said a large portion of the conservation estate was land inherited because it was not suited to farming, which DoC now managed on behalf of all New Zealanders, and which attracted tourists. But DoC's $350 million budget only equated to about 14 per cent of the GST collected from tourists, he said.
Mr Britton said having the land in Crown ownership may "may not be the best thing", and he saw potential for partnerships, but rejected claims by farmers that DoC was not a good land manager.
The former Minister of Conservation, Chris Carter, said prior to losing the portfolio that it was policy to develop a network of South Island high country parks, the size depending on the outcome of tenure review.
Mr Carter said DoC increased its weed and pest budget 16 per cent between 2003-04 and 2005-06 to $47.5 million, and its wilding pine control budget by 43 per cent in recent years.
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