(1) The Commissioner may from time to time recommend to the Minister what lands (whether Crown or private), in the opinion of the Commissioner should be reserved as soil conservation reserves.

(2) Where the land so recommended to be reserved is Crown land, the Governor may by Proclamation declare the same to be a soil conservation reserve under this Act.

(3) Where the land is private land it may be taken as for a public work under Part 9 of the Land Administration Act 1997, and the provisions of that Act shall apply accordingly, and the land so taken shall be a soil conservation reserve under this Act.

(4) The Governor may, on the recommendation of the Minister, by a subsequent Proclamation revoke any prior Proclamation whereby any land has been declared to be a soil conservation reserve, and thereupon such soil conservation reserve shall be abolished.

(5) Where a soil conservation reserve is abolished as provided for in subsection (4) the lands comprised therein shall forthwith become Crown land within the meaning and for the purposes of the Land Administration Act 1997, and may be dealt with under that Act accordingly.

(6) The expression }Crown land~ as used in subsection (2) has the same meaning as in the Land Administration Act 1997, and the expression }Private land~ as used in subsection (3) means any land other than Crown land.

[Section 26 amended by No. 31 of 1997 s. 81(4), (5), 141 and 142.]