The Supreme Court has ruled protected conservation land cannot be destroyed for the Ruataniwha Dam.

The Government will today unveil a radically scaled back plan for mining in protected conservation areas.

Criticism of the government's plans to allow mining on protected conservation land is focused on Great Barrier Island.

Theappeal court has ruled the process used to acquire protected conservation land for the Ruataniwha Dam was unlawful.

Forest and Bird argued under law DoC did not have the power to swap protected conservation park land.

This cove is a protected conservation area with a large coral reef and diverse marine life ideal for viewing.

It still has the option of seizing the protected conservation land under the Public Works Act to build the dam.

There's growing pressure to close the legal loophole that lets commercial operators run heli-hunting tours on heavily protected conservation land.

The protected conservation area sits in the middle of where the dam reservoir would go once the dam was built.

So, other than that, there is nothing I can do, because the site is not an officially protected conservation area.

Forest and Bird said the bill that would allow the transfer of Crown land overrides rules aimed at protecting conservation land.

The Labour Party says the Goverment's expected U-turn on mining protected conservation land will leave its economic development policy in tatters.

It would mean downgrading protected conservation land to stewardship status in order to allow it to be flooded for the dam.

Forest and Bird lawyer Sally Gepp said under law DoC does not have the power to swap protected conservation park land.

Many disperse across the hills and on to protected conservation sites where I have seen them kill adders and other reptiles.

Conservation groups say the battlelines are drawn as they wait for the Government's decision on allowing mining on some protected conservation land.