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Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 5, Issue 12, 18 August 1987, Page 1

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The Department of Conservation has released the draft management plan for the Tongariro National Park and is calling for suggestions from the public and organizations to help the Tongariro-Taupo National Parks and Reserves Board assess the draft and prepare the final plan. Among issues listed in the plan are: the balance between preservation and use; The use of aircraft within the park; further development of Whakapapa Village; oversnow transportand increases in the altitude limits for skilifts. The plan as drafted would not allow the use of helicopters purely for access. It states that the presence and use of aircraft is incompat-

ible with the national park concept. "Essentially Tongariro National Park should provide an environment where people can come into contact with the kind of raw, uncivilized wilderness out of which all cultures have grown," states the plan in its introduction. Concerning development of Whakapapa Village, the plan would limit growth in this area. One reason given is the likely result of an increased growth in surrounding towns, which is consistent with regional planning objectives. The present village management approves the setting apart of the village as an amenities area, which would allow for a more flexible status.

The management plan proposes to continue the policy of not permitting oversnow vehicles in the park merely for commercial transport purposes. The reasons given for this stand are similar to those against heliskiing. Whakapapa's need to move higher up the mountain with its skifield would be met by allowing an extension of the National Downhill section of the skifield to 2300 metres. This would result in a more unified skifield with longer and more varied runs, according to the draft. At present the skifield limits are 2250m at the Knoll Ridge area (to increase to 2300m) and 2000m at the National Downhill area.