Chapter 8 - Public Access 8.0 Public Access 8.1 Introduction New Zealanders have high expectations with respect to access to and use of the high country, coast, wetlands, lakes and rivers. The expectation is just as high in the Wairau/ Awatere Plan area as it is for the Marlborough Sounds. The Resource Management Act 1991 (the Act) requires as a matter of National Importance that public access to and along the coastal marine area, lakes and rivers be maintained and enhanced. In respect of the East Marlborough Coast the situation regarding land ownership is somewhat unique in that much of the area immediately landward of the mean high water spring is reserve land owned and administered by the Department of Conservation including: • Land held for conservation or recreation purposes, and legal roads in particular the foreshore between Rarangi and the Wairau Bar; • The Boulder Bank and south to the Awatere River (excluding two small sections north and south of White Bluffs); • Various sections south of Flemings Road and Blind River; • Most of the land between Lake Grassmere and the mean high water springs; • Marfells Beach; and • Chancet Rocks. Legal road land (formed or unformed) along the coastline is administered by the Council or Transit New Zealand, as appropriate. The lighthouse reserve at Cape Campbell is administered by the Ministry of Transport (Maritime Transport Division). Access nevertheless is often restricted because of physical geography. The remainder of the coastal land is privately owned with much of it being used for low to moderate density pastoral farming. The Wairau/ Awatere is also fortunate in that it is served by networks of rivers, tributaries and streams which bring with them significant opportunities in terms of access. Many of the rivers have legal roads or other forms of public reserve running along the river edges. In addition to being corridors into the landscape, rivers provide significant opportunities for the creation and/ or enhancement of tracts of ecological habitat. In the more populated area of the Lower Wairau Valley there is a recorded history of flood plain management with stopbanked river floodways much of it in Council ownership, and thus public ownership of riparian margins is high and public access can be readily achieved. In some instances private ownership (riparian rights) may compromise instream values and public access. Notwithstanding, the general expectation of access to the coast, lakes, rivers and wetlands, there are circumstances where it is appropriate that access is limited or needs to be limited. The New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement and Marlborough Regional Policy Statement outline those circumstances. For example: 8 - 1