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Budget 2017 invests an additional $107.8 million to strengthen conservation programmes and manage tourism growth on public conservation land, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

“This funding continues the Government’s commitment to Predator Free 2050 with a range of specific initiatives to protect and restore threatened species, fight kauri dieback, increase predator, pest and weed control and marine protection as well as respond to tourism growth,” Ms Barry says.

Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says DOC will fight this year’s beech forest mast year increase in rat and stoat numbers with a $21.3 million war chest from Budget 2017 for the Battle for our Birds control campaign.

“I can confirm there will be a widespread forest seeding, or mast, once again this year that will trigger a big increase in vermin,” Ms Barry says. “The mast event will affect much of the North Island, the northern South Island and parts of western Otago.

The Government will invest $76 million through Budget 2017 on new and upgraded tourism infrastructure for the Department of Conservation as part of a $178 million tourism infrastructure package, Conservation Minister Maggie Barry says.

“The new funding will allow DOC to better manage the impact of visitor growth, while also protecting our biodiversity and threatened species,” Ms Barry says.