A South Island iwi is taking legal action against the government - saying it's been shut out of discussions about the protection given to ecologically-important land.
The stewardship land makes up about 10-percent of the country and contains valuable forests and homes to threatened species.
The government has announced plans to speed up decisions about which parcels of land will get the most protection - setting up independent expert panels to help advise it.
But environmental groups fear it's a red herring that could lead to more mining on conservation land.
Hamish Cardwell has the story.
