Twenty-fifth anniversary of national park legislation

Press, 11 April 1978, Page 13

Twenty-fifth anniversary of national park legislation

From the Department of Lands and Survey.

Environmental protection is now of such public concern in New Zealand that it may come as a surprise to many people to learn that legislation governing national parks took half a century to reach the statute books. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the National Parks Act which put into writing the philosophy of early environmentalists and offered an effective means of protecting some of New Zealand’s most unique and valuable scenic resources. The act also brought into being the governing body of national parks, the National Parks Authority and a revised structure for local park boards. The national park concept, both world-wide and in New Zealand, owes its origins to the attitude of American explorers who had to decide the future of the Yellowstone country of the Montana territory. After much argument one night around a campfire, the explorers decided that the area should not be exploited for personal gain but should belong to the nation and be reserved for public use and enjoyment. The ideals discussed around that campfire were translated into legislation, and two years later the United States Congress established Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the world. As at Yellowstone, it was concern at possible conflict between private use and reservation of land that led to the establishment of Tongariro as New Zealand’s first national park. Although the Maori Land Wars ended in 1869, recriminations were still evident and Maori lands

were still being divided up in 1886, when the paramount chief of the Ngati Tuwharetoa, Te Heuheu IV Tukino (Horonuku) attended a Native Land Court sitting at Taupo to consider the fate of the volcanic mountains, Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu. Because of the sanctity of these mountains to the Maori people, it was decided that instead of the land being subdivided and sold it would be better to give them to the Government as a reserve or park, to be the property of all the people in New Zealand. A preliminary deed of gift was written there and then and put into legal form at a later court meeting in 1887. Te Heuheu asked that the land concerned “be awarded to the Crown as a gift from himself for the purpose of a national park.’’ Tongariro National Park was formally established in 1894 by an act of Parliament with an area of 6500 acres. With land purchases and the inclusion of Crown land the area has now increased to

76,198 ha (188,290 acres). In 1900 representations bv Taranaki conservation

interests saw another special act establishing Egmont National Park, and five years later Fiordland became a public reserve “for a national park.” General legislation for national parks was incorporated in the Public Reserves, Domains and National Parks Act, 1928, and under this legislation Arthur’s Pass became a national park in 1929 and Abel Tasman in 1942. During this period, development for public participation was limited. Some hut and track work was done but there were few park rangers and little money. Private enterprise had difficulties establishing accommodation and only the enthusiasm of ski and mountain club members saw the first club huts built. During the 19305, in spite of the Depression there was mounting pressure for a stop to the destruction of native forests and a reform of national park legislation. Individual con* servationists and recreational user groups advocated the establishment of a central controlling authority to administer national parks and a review of the existing legislation. They feared that if conservation was left till prosperity returned there would be little left to conserve. However, before the war, little was done to achieve this. In 1945 a comprehensive report by the federated mountain clubs was studied by a sub-committee of the Organisation for National Developmenbt, a body set up to plan for the transitional and postwar economy and development of the country. The sub-committee recommended that a national authority should be set up which would deter-

mine broad policy for administering national parks, to establish new parks or enlarge existing ones. No immediate action was taken but this framework became the pattern now in existence. Similar approaches were made by the federated mountain clubs and other bodies in 1949, but it was not until early 1950 that a National Parks Bill was prepared to provide one general law governing the administration of all New Zealand National Parks. The outcome was the National Parks Act, 1952, which, with a few minor amendments, remains ill force today. The act defined the significance and purpose of parks, set up the National Parks Authority as a central body channelling policy and finance, and brought a greater degree of conformity in the appointment of persons to boards directly responsible far parks under their control. The 1952 act listed Tongariro, Egmont, Arthur’s Pass, Abel Tasman - and Fiordland as national I

parks. Since then more parks have been established — Mount Cook,

Urewera, Nelson Lakes, Westland and Mount Aspiring. The act defined its purpose as “preserving in perpetutity as national parks, for the benefit and enjoyment of the public, areas of New Zealand that contain scenery Of such distinctive quality or natural features so beautiful or unique that their preservation is in the national interest.” It stated that the parks should be administered and maintained so that they should be preserved as far as possible in their natural state — that the native flora and fauna should be preserved as far as possible and introduced flora and fauna exterminated, and that their value as soil, water and forest conservation areas should be maintained. It also stated that “subject to conditions necessary to preserve flora and fauna or for the welfare in general of parks, the public shall have freedom of entry and access to parks, so that they may receive in full measure the inspiration, enjoyment, recreation and other benefits that may be derived from mountains, forests, sounds, lakes and rivers”. The enthusiasm which greeted the legislation both inside and outside Parliament showed how well its path had been smoothed. Although the act provided for the proper administration ana conservation of less than 4.5 per cent of New Zealand, it was hailed by one newspaper as an important turning point in New Zealand’s nistory,