Proposed Conservation Parks in Otago

Forest and Bird, Issue 306, 1 November 2002, Page 4

Proposed Conservation Parks in Otago

—STAFF REPORTS

| oc’s Otago Conservation * Management Strategy proposes six new conservation parks, including Te Papanui, which all depend on tenure review. Some of the proposed parks could be amalgamated to create a national park centered on the Remarkables near Queenstown, and extending to the Old Man Range and Garvie Mountains. In Southland the Eyre Mountains, and Lake Mavora also warrant conservation park status. The potential parks include: Rock and Pillar Range conservation park: About an hour’s drive inland from Dunedin, the Rock and Pillar Range is the most coastal of Central Otago’s schist-block mountains. Along with the neighbouring Lammermoor Range to the south, it has some

of the most intact, unmodified snow tussock grassland of any of Otago’s block mountains. Over 5000 hectares along the eastern side of the Rock and Pillar Range have already been protected and allocated to DoC, as a result of tenure reviews over seven pastoral leases. The goal

New conservation parks are planned to protect the natural values of the high-country. Conservation land is being set aside during a process called Land Tenure Review. High-country run holders who usually hold their land on a perpetual lease now have the opportunity to freehold the better pastures. In return, sensitive and valued conservation areas are set aside as Crown reserves. Valley floors tend to remain farmed while higher country is protected.

is to create a tussock grassland conservation park by securing protection of altitudinal sequences from the valley bottom to the summit, and along the summit of the Rock and Pillars. Proposed Oteake conservation park: Further inland, and on the boundary between Otago and Canterbury, are the Hawkdun and Ida Ranges. A significant start has been made on creating a park here. Some 10,000 hectares have been protected through tenure reviews, and acquisition of adjoining lands and land already allocated to DoC. Proposed Kopuwai conservation park: This area comprises the range crests of the Garvie, and Umbrella Mountains, the Old Man, Old Woman, and the Carrick ranges. A substantial start has been made on the proposed Kopuwai conservation park, but there are more than 20 pastoral leases that have yet to be reviewed. So far some 15,000 hectares are protected. This is part of the area that could eventually

become part of a national park, combined with The Remarkables. The Remarkables conservation park: The Remarkables form the jagged view from Queenstown, and are one of New Zealand’s scenic icons. Tenure reviews have been completed on four pastoral leases, contributing 7741 hectares towards the proposed park. Some 10,200 hectares are already protected through existing allocations. Pisa Range conservation park: The Pisa Range is a large block mountain between the Cardrona and Upper Clutha Valleys, forming an imposing backdrop to Cromwell. Tenure review has been proceeding relatively rapidly, and so far some 3591 hectares have been transferred to DoC. Eyre Mountains: The remote and rugged Eyre Mountains in Northern Southland are partially protected already as conservation land, but this area may eventually be extended through tenure reviews on the western shores of Lake

Wakatipu. —