NATURE STUDY TIMES FOR CHRISTMAS

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 65, 19 August 1965, Page 8

NATURE STUDY TIMES FOR CHRISTMAS

Nature programmes will again be held in New Zealand's national parks next summer. After the success of previous years, these programmes have been arranged well in advance to enable interested members of the public to plan their holidays accordingly. The programmes are also designed so that all sections of the community may enjoy not only the scenic heauty of the parks, but gain some understanding and appreciation of their natural history. "The enthusiastic response la/st year has established these programmes as a permanent feature of national park activities," said Mr R,. J. MacUachlan, chairman of the Nati»onal Parks Authority, today. Arrangements are being made for a programme in the Tongariro park during the three weeks after BoxiUg Day. The park board hopes that Mr P. J. Devlin, who has conducted courses so successfully in the past few years, will again be available as a park naturalist. Mr Devlin is a science adviser to the South Auckland Education Board. Similarly, the Urewera park is continuing its popular talks and tours with the assistance of Mr C. A. Walker, science adviser to the Hawke's Bay Education Board. These will take place for 12 days hetween December 26 and January 13. A programme at Nelson lakes is being arranged and a science adviser from the Nelson Education Board will conduct it at Lake Rotoiti between December 27 and January 7. Field trips are planned to the St Arnaud ranges and also a tramp round Lake Rotoiti. A novel attraction will be a day's visit to the Maud Valley outside the park where visitors will be able to pan for'gold. The programme for Arthur's Pass park will be in the first fortnight of January t similar to previous years. It includes spotting and art competitions for the children and fu-11 and half day walks and illustrated

talks for adults. This year, 150 members of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society who are bolding their summer camp in the park, are being invited to participate. Mount Cook park rangers will be conducting full day trips to the Hooker Valley and afterivxm ones to Governor'ts Bay, on alternate days between December 26 and January 16. Slide evenings will also be held. In the Westland park, at the Franz Josef and Fox townships, illustrated talks will be held every second or third evenings between December 28 and the end of January, according to the demand. Nature walks will also be held several times a

week depending on weather conditions. The programme for Egmont park will be hetween December 18 — 23 and January 3 to 8, while in Fiordland, the daily field trips, so jsuccessful last season, will commence on January 5, ending January 19. Plans for the newest park, Mount Aspiring, will he considered a,s soon as a ranger is appointed. To conduct these pro--grammes, most of the park boards are fortunate in being able to secure the serviees of locally employed Education Board science advisers. The valuable time and assistance given by these qualified naturalists in supplementing the work of rangers, is greatly appreciated by the National Parks Authority, the various park boards, and by those attending the nature programmes, Mr MacLachlan said.