Under the Southland conservation management strategy, cycling is a permissible activity only in specific conservation land areas. Te Anau Cycling Inc announced its plans last year, and a section around Henry Creek was not covered in the management strategy, published in 2016. However, a Department of Conservation proposal to complete a national partial review of all conservation management strategies might make the process easier. DOC planning permissions and land director Natasha Hayward said the review would enable the consideration of building new cycle trails and allowing cycling on public conservation land but not everywhere. It would not address cycling in national parks, which requires a different approach under National Park General Policy 2005, she said.