National reserve opens

Press, 21 February 1986, Page 5

National reserve opens

New Zealand’s second national reserve will be officially opened tomorrow.

The new Lewis Pass National Reserve will follow State highway 7 from the Boyle River in the east through to part of the Freyberg Range in the west. According to the publicity officer for the North Canterbury Parks and Reserves Board, Mr lan Gardiner, the only other national reserve in New Zealand is on the Snares Islands, south of Stewart Island. We said the new re&rve would eventually become

a core area of a much bigger reserve. It is hoped that within the next few years much of the surrounding land will be added to the reserve. The area is probably best known for its native beech forest It is used for a variety of recreational activities including tramping, climbing, shooting, and camping. Mr Gardiner said negotiations to declare the area a national reserve had started in 1977. Originally the land had had scenic reserve status. He said the reserve ' classification

would give the land a higher degree of protection. Any changes such as alterations to boundaries would now have to be approved 'by Parliament Speakers at the opening of the reserve at the Marble Hill camping ground, near Springs Junction, tomorrow will include the chairman of the National Parks and Reserves Board, Mr D. A. Thom, and the chairman of the North Canterbury Parks and Reserves Board, Mr lan Calvert .. The official opening is at 11.30 a.m; after which a walk will be made to Lake Daniels.