Environment Minister Nick Smith has requested his appointed commissioners at Environment Canterbury to look at overturning the Rakaia Conservation Order.

Some reports on the government's plans to open up more conservation land to mining have been "hysterical" and the public should reserve judgment until they see what is on the table, Prime Minister John Key said today.

Forest and Bird yesterday said the government was planning to allow mining in 7000 hectares of high-value conservation land in the West Coast's Paparoa National Park, Great Barrier Island and the Coromandel Peninsula.

Two conservation programmes will get a $12 million funding boost through Green Party budget initiatives.

Conservation spokeswoman Metiria Turei said the money would be used to support community and government biodiversity partnerships and research into the conservation impacts of climate change and carbon storage.

Ms Turei said community groups were doing significant restoration work on public land, like dune lands and urban waterways.

They needed support but often had difficulty accessing money for equipment or expertise, and would get $4 million of the funding.