Protected areas of New Zealand

Protected areas of New Zealand are on both public and private land. Nearly 30 percent of the land mass of New Zealand is in public ownership and has some degree of protection. The level of protection varies according to the land status.

Protected areas

The Department of Conservation administers the majority of the publicly owned land in New Zealand that is protected for scenic, scientific, historic and cultural reasons, or set aside for recreational purposes. More than 80,000 km² – nearly 30 percent of the nation's total area – is administered by the department.

There are 14 national parks, covering just under 25,000 km², 30 Conservation Parks covering some 18,000 km², about 3,500 reserves covering around 15,000 km², and some 610 km² of protected private land and covenants that have been set aside for scenic, scientific or ecological reasons. The department also has responsibility for the preservation and management of wildlife, and has a role in management of the coastal marine area with 19 marine reserves and two other protected marine areas from the Kermadec Islands to Fiordland.

Conservation parks

Conservation Parks defined in the Conservation Act 1987 to protect their natural and historic resources, and to facilitate public recreation and enjoyment. Prior to changes in 1987, many Conservation Parks were administered as Forest Parks, before the Conservation Act declared that all such parks would automatically become Conservation Parks in a legal sense.

Ahuriri Conservation Park Aorangi Forest Park Catlins Conservation Park Coromandel Forest Park Craigieburn Forest Park Eyre Mountains/Taka Ra Haka Conservation Park Hakatere Conservation Park Hanmer Forest Park Hāwea Conservation Park Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park Kaimanawa Forest Park Kaweka Forest Park Korowai/Torlesse Tussocklands Park Lake Sumner Forest Park Mount Richmond Forest Park

Northland Conservation Park Otago Goldfields Forest Park Oteake Conservation Park Pirongia Forest Park Pureora Forest Park Raukumara Forest Park Rimutaka Forest Park Ruahine Forest Park Ruataniwha Conservation Park Tararua Forest Park Te Kahui Kaupeka Conservation Park Te Papanui Conservation Park Victoria Forest Park Whakarewarewa Forest Conservation Park Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park

Mainland islands

The Department of Conservation have set up five mainland islands:

• Boundary Stream Mainland Island
• Paengaroa Mainland Island
• Rotoiti Mainland Island
• Te Urewera Mainland Island
• Trounson Kauri Park Mainland Island

Island reserves

Often referred to as Island Sanctuaries these off-shore islands have been set aside by organisations like the Department of Conservation as reserves for endemic and native New Zealand species:

Blumine Island The Brothers Islands Codfish Island Kapiti Island Little Barrier Island Mana Island

Maud Island Matiu / Somes Island Motutapu Island Poor Knights Islands Rangitoto Island Resolution Island

Stephens Island Stewart Island / Rakiura Tiritiri Matangi Island Ulva Island Whakaari / White Island

Marine reserves

New Zealand has a total of 32 marine reserves spread around the North and South Islands, and two on outlying island groups. The first marine reserve was created in 1975.

National parks

There are 13 national parks, covering just under 25,000 km².

Abel Tasman National Park Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park Arthur's Pass National Park Egmont National Park Fiordland National Park Kahurangi National Park Mount Aspiring National Park

Nelson Lakes National Park Paparoa National Park Rakiura National Park Te Urewera National Park (former) Tongariro National Park Westland Tai Poutini National Park Whanganui National Park

Regional parks

Regional parks of New Zealand are administered by regional councils.

Wetlands

New Zealand is a signatory to the Ramsar Convention, and as of 2008 there are six Ramsar-registered sites in New Zealand:

Farewell Spit Firth of Thames Kopuatai Peat Dome

Manawatu River mouth and estuary Awarua Wetland Whangamarino

Travis Wetland is an ecological restoration project in Christchurch that was purchased by the city council as a nature reserve.

World Heritage sites

There are three World Heritage Sites in New Zealand:

• Te Wahipounamu
• Tongariro National Park
• New Zealand Subantarctic Islands

Private reserves

• Hinewai Reserve

Other protected areas

• JM Barker (Hapupu) Historic Reserve
• Zealandia (wildlife sanctuary), Wellington
• Maungatautari Restoration Project
• Mount Tutu Eco-Sanctuary
• Nugget Point
• Orokonui Ecosanctuary
• Lake Rotokare, Taranaki
• Brook Waimarama Sanctuary

See also

• Protected areas

References

External links

• Department of Conservation
• Protected areas databases at Landcare Research

Protected areas of Oceania Sovereign states Australia Fiji Indonesia Kiribati Marshall Islands Federated States of Micronesia Nauru New Zealand Palau Papua New Guinea Samoa Solomon Islands Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu Associated states of New Zealand Cook Islands Niue Dependencies and other territories American Samoa Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Easter Island French Polynesia Guam Hawaii New Caledonia Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Pitcairn Islands Tokelau Wallis and Futuna