Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand abstracts

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Te Waahipounamu: South-west New Zealand World Heritage Area. Ecological research and conservation history⁺

Alan F. Mark*

This paper reviews the research which documented the nature conservation and ecological features and values that justified the initial promotion (by Forest and Bird Protection Society in 1987), the subsequent nomination (by the Government in 1989), and the eventual acceptance (by the World Conservation Union in 1991), of the 2.6 million ha South-west New Zealand World Heritage Area. The incorporation of four established national parks (Westland, Mount Cook, Mount Aspiring and Fiordland) with the intervening Crown-owned land embracing rainforest, wetlands and tussock grasslands, into the world heritage area, is also explained.

Subsequent development of a range of recreational and visitor facilities along the highway traversing the 311 000 ha of previous State forest land in South Westland is also described, together with the visitor statistics which indicate the initial positive response to the elevated conservation status of the region.

Keywords: World heritage; ecological research; nature conservation values; land use evaluation; ecotourism, visitor facilities; Westland National Park; Mount Cook National Park; Mount Aspiring National Park; Fiordland National Park

(c) Journal of The Royal Society of New Zealand,

Volume 28, Number 4, December 1998, pp 657-684

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (8800K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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