A Northland Maori leader says anyone attempting exploratory mining or surveying without the iwi's  permission will be treated as trespassers.

Eve-Marie Wilson takes her country's Government to task for plans to allow the desecration of natural beauty.

While the government may have said good-bye to its plans to mine 7000 hectares of conservation land in Great Barrier Island, Coromandel and Paparoa National Park, some say the government still hasn’t got it right.

New Zealand's most precious land is safe for now, but environmental groups worry that the Energy Minister could soon get a firmer grip on the conservation estate.

More of New Zealand's conservation land will be explored for mining, despite a major backdown aimed at protecting New Zealand's most pristine areas.

Even though the high value Coromandel, Great Barrier Island and Paparoa Park are off the menu for mining, there are several other areas that could soon be on it.

The government is investing $4.5 million to fund aero-magnetic surveys in Northland, the West Coast and other parts of the South Island, land which it describes as 'low value'.

The northern half of Coromandel conservation land will remain in Schedule 4 and will continue to be protected from mining -- "That's great", says Coromandel Watchdog spokesperson Denis Tegg. "But if the government is truly listening to public opinion they will have heard that the public wants all pristine conservation land protected from mining, and that must include conservation land in southern part of the Peninsula." said Mr. Tegg

Government plans to further explore the mineral belt around Nelson are disappointing, Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell says. "We don't think the public should be doing the job for these huge mining companies with massive resources," he said.

The government says it's backdown on mining is evidence that it listens. But the question left is whether there's any policy Key and Co. will fight to the death for? And where's that step change coming from now?

The Save Happy Valley Coalition offers support for the National Government's decision to scrap plans to mine NZ national parks under schedule 4, though continues to urge policy makers not to mine valuable biodiversity hotspots that lack state protection as National Parks, such as Happy Valley, near Westport in the South Island.