Protected areas of New Zealand

West Matukituki Valley and the Matukituki River seen from Cascade Saddle in Mount Aspiring National Park

Protected areas of New Zealand are areas that are in some way protected to preserve their environmental, scientific, scenic, historical, cultural or recreational value. There are about 10,000 protected areas, covering about a third of the country. The method and aims of protection vary according to the importance of the resource and whether it is publicly or privately owned.[1]

Nearly 30 percent of New Zealand's land mass is publicly owned with some degree of protection. Most of this land – about 80,000 square kilometres (31,000 sq mi) – is administered by the Department of Conservation. There are 13 national parks,[2][3] thousands of reserves,[4] 54 conservation parks,[5] and a range of other conservation areas.[4]

The department also manages 44 offshore and coastal marine reserves.[6] Any development in Coastal Marine Areas, which extend up to the mean high water spring mark and up to a kilometre up rivers, require a resource consent under the Resource Management Act.[7]

  1. ^ Molloy, Les. "Protected areas". Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference linznatpark was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference nswarbrick was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Conservation Act 1987 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference consparks was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference ghutching was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Resource Management Act 1991 No 69 (as at 11 July 2018), Public Act Coastal marine area – New Zealand Legislation". www.legislation.govt.nz. Retrieved 21 July 2018.