Reserves Act 1977

Classification and management of reserves - Classification and purpose of reserves

20: Nature reserves

You could also call this:

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

When you visit a nature reserve, you are in a special place. The government wants to protect the plants and animals that live there, as well as the natural features, so they stay safe forever. You can only enter a nature reserve if you have a permit under section 48A or section 57, or if you follow a notice given under section 57(2).

The people in charge of nature reserves want to keep them as natural as possible. They try to preserve the native plants and animals, and get rid of the ones that are not native. If a nature reserve is an island, or mostly an island, you cannot touch the land with your boat without a permit.

If a nature reserve has special features like scenic or historic sites, they are managed and protected. However, the people in charge must follow the Wildlife Act 1953 and the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014 when dealing with animals or archaeological features. They also try to keep the soil, water, and forest in the nature reserve healthy.

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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=DLM444612.

Topics:

Environment and resources > ConservationEnvironment and resources > Town planning

19: Scenic reserves, or

"Special protected areas for nature and beauty"

21: Scientific reserves, or

"Special protected areas for science and learning"

Part 3Classification and management of reserves
Classification and purpose of reserves

20Nature reserves

It is hereby declared that the appropriate provisions of this Act shall have effect, in relation to reserves classified as nature reserves, for the purpose of protecting and preserving in perpetuity indigenous flora or fauna or natural features that are of such rarity, scientific interest or importance, or so unique that their protection and preservation are in the public interest.
It is hereby further declared that, having regard to the general purposes specified in subsection (1), every nature reserve shall be so administered and maintained under the appropriate provisions of this Act that—
it shall be preserved as far as possible in its natural state:
except where the Minister otherwise determines, the indigenous flora and fauna, ecological associations, and natural environment shall as far as possible be preserved and the exotic flora and fauna as far as possible be exterminated:
for the better protection and preservation of the flora and fauna in its natural state, no person shall enter the reserve, except under the authority of a permit granted under section 48A or section 57 or in accordance with a notice given under section 57(2) and, for the purposes of this paragraph, the expression enter the reserve shall, in the case of a nature reserve or part of a nature reserve that is an island or that comprises most of an island, be deemed to include any physical contact with the land by a boat; and for this purpose any physical contact with the land shall be deemed to include the attaching (by rope or otherwise) of a boat to the reserve or to a wharf constructed on or partly on the reserve:
where scenic, historic, archaeological, biological, geological, or other scientific features are present on the reserve, those features shall be managed and protected to the extent compatible with the principal or primary purpose of the reserve:provided that nothing in this paragraph shall authorise the doing of anything with respect to fauna that would contravene any provision of the Wildlife Act 1953 or any regulations or Proclamation or notification under that Act, or the doing of anything with respect to archaeological features in any reserve that would contravene any provision of the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014:
to the extent compatible with the principal or primary purpose of the reserve, its value as a soil, water, and forest conservation area shall be maintained.

For the purposes of subsection (2)(c), where the foreshore of any nature reserve which is an island or part of an island does not form part of the reserve which it adjoins, the foreshore shall be deemed to form part of the reserve.

Notes

Section 20(2)(c): amended, on 27 December 1983, by section 6(2) of the Reserves Amendment Act 1983 (1983 No 43).
Section 20(2)(c): amended, on 23 September 1981, by section 3(1) of the Reserves Amendment Act 1981 (1981 No 30).
Section 20(2)(d) proviso: amended, on 20 May 2014, by section 107 of the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014 (2014 No 26).