The Government may look at opening some conservation land to livestock grazing as a way for the Department of Conservation to generate income reports The ODT. Agri Minister David Carter told about 300 farmers in Central Otago last week that finding ways to generate income from a conservation estate that grew in size under the previous government was a looming issue, and allowing strictly controlled grazing to licensed farmers could be a solution. "That, to me, makes perfect sense," he said at the Fed Farmers high country committee two-yearly field day in the Nevis Valley last Wednesday. Don Clarke, of Carrick Station, told the field day that he had found grazing of the upright-growing invasive weed, Hieracium lepidulum, could control its spread. Mr Carter repeated his support for the greater use of conservation covenants administered through organisations such as the QEII Trust, saying it was "a sensible" way to achieve biodiversity protection and allow economic use of land. The Cabinet will soon consider a report which links rents to the income-earning capacity of Crown pastoral lease properties. Mr Carter said the independently peer-reviewed report would now enter the legislative process. He did not see any reason for that process to be delayed. The new rent-setting methodology was consistent with Government policy of linking rents to the income-earning capacity of a pastoral lease.
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