NATIONAL PARKS

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29354, 5 November 1960, Page 4

NATIONAL PARKS

Talk To Royal Society

The work of the National Parks Authority in New Zealand was described by Professor L W. McCaskill, associate professor of rural education at Canterbury Agricultural College to a meeting of the Canterbury branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand Professor McCaskill'!) subject was “The Future of New Zealand National Parks.” He is a member of the authority. Parks under the authority's control amounted to 4.425.008 acres, said Professor McCaskill, or nearly seven per cent of NewZealand. "We have to give people a right of access to national parks but at the same time insist on protection.” said Professor McCaskill. “There is a need to reconcile the use by the present generation with the need to safeguard for future generations.’’ Professor McCaskill said that the National Parks Authority took measures to see that their own buildings and those of any mountain clubs or others who built in the parks, were suited to the scenery. The authority had had signs erected at the entrance to national parks which attempted to suggest something of the geography of the area. Stones from the area of the sign, set before trees of the area was the method at the entrance of Arthur's Pass, he said. Scientific Interests “Use alone can threaten a scientific interest,” he said “Rare plants may be trampled on. A natural feature may be despoiled as in the case of a rare bird being driven away. "A given area cannot properly support more than a certain number of visitors without strict control. Their future depends on a number of factors, said Professor McCaskill "It depends on the attitude of the people to their parks. Are they to be valued as worth more than kilowatts? Professor McCaskill’s talli was illustrated by about 50 slides of national park areas.