Controlled grazing suggested for Mangapurua

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 2, Issue 3, 19 June 1984, Page 17

Controlled grazing suggested for Mangapurua

Lack of suitable access was the principle reason for past farming failures in the Mangapurua Valley and would continue to be a barrier to significant agricultural development of the valley for the foreseeable future. This was stated in a decision reached on Wednesday 6 June, by the Land Settlement Board to recommend the release of some 9000ha of Crown Land in the valley for inclusion in the proposed Wanganui River National Park. The suggestion had been made in a report prepared for the National Parks and Reseryes Authority. Other significant restraints to development in the valley were seen as difficult typography and unsuitable soil types. The board said that it was essential to provide for controlled grazing in suitable areas that had been cleared in the past and had not reverted to scrub or forest, providing that this was compatible with recreational uses and other park values. This would enhance the historical interest of the former settlement and add to the enjoyment of visitors using the walking track that had been established in the valley by the Department of Lands and Survey.

Should the valley not be included in the proposed park, the board reaffirmed that it would be managed in terms of a Crown Land management plan to be prepared by the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Wellington.