The country's second largest national park could be about to get bigger.
Sylvester Lakes in Tasman Mountains of Kahurangi National Park. Photo: 123RF
The Department of Conservation is consulting with iwi and the Nelson Marlborough Conservation Board on whether to add two parcels of land totalling nearly 300 hectares to Kahurangi National Park.
A fair slice of the South Island's top left corner, from Golden Bay to the West Coast, is already taken up by the park.
Talks are now under way on a plan to add 49-hectares in the Cobb Valley, an area popular with trampers and hikers.
The land was formerly the subject of a mining application from a company wanting access to quarry soapstone.
Another 246 hectares overlooking Westhaven Inlet, which includes rare plant and tree species, is also up for discussion at a conservation board meeting next week.
A final decision on adding the land rests with the Conservation Minister.