View from the park overlooking the
Whanganui River
Submissions closed on 29 September 2006.
The Management Plan for the Whanganui National Park sets out the philosophy and priorities for the management of the park for conservation and recreation purposes. The initial plan for the park was approved back in 1989 and a review is now under way to cover the next 10 years.
The Department invited comments and suggestions on the issues and opportunities which the new Management Plan for the Whanganui National Park should take into account. Comments and suggestions received were taken into account in the review of the plan. Everyone who submited comments and suggestions received a copy of the draft notified plan.
Whanganui National Park
Covering an area of 74,231 hectares, the Whanganui National Park is based around the historic Whanganui River in a rugged setting of dense forest, Maori historic sites and abandoned farm settlements. The park and adjoining areas are home for possibly the largest and most extensive population of kiwi in the North Island. Whilst perhaps most famous as the backdrop for travel by canoe or jetboat along the river itself, there are opportunities to follow ancient trails into the park's remote and untouched heart.
The water body and bed of Whanganui River itself is not included in the National Park.
Issues and Opportunities
Some of the main issues and opportunities which the review addresses are:
- Reversing the decline of native forest
- Collaboration with neighbours-around the sometimes convoluted boundaries of the Park
- Kiwi protection
- Other threatened species protection including recovery of kokako, kaka and blue duck
- Development of working relationships with Tangata Whenua on park management issues
- Cultural and historic heritage protection, including management of archaeological sites and more recent abandoned settlements such as the Mangapurua Valley
- Recreation and visitor facilities within the park and along the Whanganui River
- The management of recreation and visitor impacts to ensure the special values of the park are not compromised through over-use or inappropriate uses
- Working with communities to ensure that they have adequate opportunity to visit and appreciate the special values of the park
The Draft Management Plan will be revised to take into account submissions which are supported by the Department.
Viewing this document
This document is currently only available on this website as a PDF or other file such as Word or Excel. If you can't view this file please get in touch with the listed contact to request another format or a hard copy.
About PDFs and other inaccessible content.