Reserves Act 1977

Introduction

You could also call this:

"Protecting Special Areas of Land for Everyone"

This law is about public reserves in New Zealand. You can think of public reserves as special areas of land that are protected for everyone to enjoy. The law helps manage these areas so they are looked after and people can use them.

The law covers things like how public reserves are acquired, controlled, and maintained. It also talks about preserving the natural environment in these areas. This means keeping the air, water, and land clean and healthy. The law wants to make sure these special areas are protected for future generations.

The law also mentions public access to the coastline and the countryside. This means you should be able to visit and enjoy these areas. The law aims to balance the need to protect these areas with the need to let people use and enjoy them.

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This page was last updated on 18 September 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM444304.

Highlights from this law

16: Classification of reserves

How reserves in New Zealand are labelled and used for specific purposes

17: Recreation reserves

Public parks and outdoor spaces for fun and nature

20: Nature reserves

Special protected areas to keep New Zealand's plants, animals, and natural features safe

40: Functions of administering body

Who looks after a reserve and what they must do

42: Preservation of trees and bush

Protecting trees and bush in reserves: you need permission to cut or destroy them

53: Powers (other than leasing) in respect of recreation reserves

What the people in charge can do with a recreation reserve

Topics:

Environment and resources > ConservationEnvironment and resources > Town planningHousing and property > Land use

1: Short Title and commencement, or

"The name and start date of the Reserves Act 1977 law."

Reserves Act 1977

Reprint as at:: 2025-04-05
Assent:: 1977-12-23
Commencement:: see section 1(2)

The Parliamentary Counsel Office has made editorial and format changes to this version using the powers under subpart 2 of Part 3 of the Legislation Act 2019.

Note 4 at the end of this version provides a list of the amendments included in it.

This Act is administered by the Department of Conservation.

An Act to consolidate and amend certain enactments of the Parliament of New Zealand relating to public reserves, to make further provision for their acquisition, control, management, maintenance, preservation (including the protection of the natural environment), development, and use, and to make provision for public access to the coastline and the countryside