10 Boffa Miskell Ltd | Waihi North Project| Landscape and Visual Effects | Every conservation park shall so be managed – (a) That its natural and historic resources are protected; and (b) Subject to paragraph (a), to facilitate public recreation and enjoyment. The emphasis of the Conservation Act is to ensure the preservation and protection of the natural and historic resources for the purpose of maintaining their intrinsic values, providing for their appreciation and recreational enjoyment by the public, and safeguarding the options of future generations. Specifically, The Conservation Act defines ‘conservation’ as: ‘the preservation and protection of natural and historic resources for the purpose of maintaining their intrinsic values, providing for their appreciation and recreational enjoyment by the public, and safeguarding the options of future generations’. Natural resources' are defined in the Conservation Act to include a range of elements, including "c) landscape and landform". 4.1.1 Coromandel Peninsula Conservation Land Management Plan Coromandel Peninsula Conservation Land Management Plan6 sets out the anticipated management within the area of land which makes up the Coromandel Forest Park. Within this plan, the WUG Mine lies beneath the area recognised as the Wentworth / Wharekirauponga Visitor Management Zone. Much of this area focuses on the Wentworth Valley, north of the proposed underground mine which is recognised as having been mined and logged for kauri supplying local mills. The objective in this area is to, “ensure visitor access to, and a self - exploration approach for the Wentworth / Wharekirauponga Valleys”. 4.2 Resource Management Act The key sections identified with the RMA regarded as being relevant to this natural character, landscape and visual assessment are: Section 6(a) – the preservation of natural character of… wetlands, and lakes and rivers and their margins, and the protection of them from inappropriate, subdivision use and development Section 6(b) – the protection of outstanding natural features and landscapes from inappropriate subdivision, use, and development Section 7(c) – the maintenance and enhancement of amenity values Section 7(f) – maintenance and enhancement of the quality of the environment In accordance with the above, this assessment has taken account of the relevant objectives, policies and rules of the Waikato Regional Policy Statement, Hauraki District Plan as set out in the Assessment of Environment Effects. The key matters relevant to this landscape assessment are set out in Appendix 2 and summarised below. 4.3 Natural Character (RMA s.6a) Although the RMA does not define natural character, from a technical perspective, natural character is considered to form part of landscape and varies within each area. For this assessment, natural character has been considered with specific reference to RMA s6a as 6 Department of Conservation (2002) Coromandel Peninsula Conservation Management Plan.
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