The National Environmental Standards for Freshwater (NES-FW) regulates activities that take place within or near natural inland wetlands.
An activity within or near a natural wetland may be permitted, but it depends on the activity, the purpose of that activity and your compliance with the NES standards and conditions.
A permitted activity notice is required before you start:
Notice needs to be provided by the person(s) or company undertaking the work at least 10 working days before the planned start date.
Different time frames and conditions apply if the activity is to harvest sphagnum moss.
Email monitoring@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz with the completed notice and any supporting documents.
This document does not take the place of a resource consent application. Your permitted activity may still require resource consent. Find out more about preparing your resource consent application.
If you need resource consent due to the sensitivity of the local environment, matters of discretion may require an assessment of the effects on mana whenua. We recommend you engage with iwi as soon as possible to determine whether you will need to do a cultural value assessment.
We will email you a confirmation we have received your notification form within 10 working days.
We will also contact you about an initial site meeting or if we need more information from you.
The Ministry for the Environment has prepared some policy and regulation fact sheets to help explain the new NES Freshwater legislation.
Watch the prerecorded Ministry for the Environment webinar Raising the bar on ecosystem health - wetlands, rivers and fish.
Read the National Environmental Standards for Freshwater legislation.
Read our guidance notes on how the Essential Freshwater Package (PDF 849KB) affects the resource consent process.
