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CEEDINGS OF THE H PACIFIC CONFERENCE ON IONAL PARKS AND RESERVES February 1975 Wellington, New Zealand. New Zealand in association with Pacific Commission and International Union for Conservation of Nature and Resources. National Parks Department Survey, New Zealand, 1975. LIBl~ARY _---.SOUTH·;PAC'FIC-OaMM~SIO\~_l ~~~ ____________ _ iii CONTENTS PREFACE v PART A - RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Minutes 1 Appendix A - Brief comments to the Introduction of the New Zealand Situation Report 75 Appendix B - Statement by Hon. Matiu Rata, New Zealand, on the Use of Aid Funds for Conservation 76 PART B - KEYNOTE ADDRESSES 1. "Preserving the Natural and Cultural Environment", Hon. Matiu Rata, Minister of Lands, New Zealand 79 2. "National Parks, Nature Conservation and IFuture Primitive''', Dr R.F. Dasmann, Senior Ecologist, IUCN 89 3. "The Tradition of Conservation in the South Pacific", Hon. Young Vivian, Minister for Agriculture, Niue 97 4. "The Challenge of Preserving the South Pacific Environment", Dr A.L. Dahl, Regional Ecological Adviser, South Pacific Commission 116, 5. "International Cooperation and Involvement", Frank G. Nicholls, Deputy Director-General, IUCN 126 PART C - SITUATION REPORTS Australia 134 Australian Capital Territory 140 Cook Islands 146 Fiji 150 French Polynesia 157 Gilbert and Ellice Islands 161 New Caledonia 172 New Hebrides 178 New South Wales 189 New Zealand 198 Northern Territory 206 v. PREFACE The formal sessions held in the Legislative Council Chamber, Parliament House, Wellington, from 24 to 27 February 1975 were preceded by a tour visiting places of scenic, historic and cultural interest in the North Island. The delegates assembled in Auckland on 19 February and the next day were accorded a ceremonial Maori welcome at the Tunohapu Marae, Rotorua. After a visit to the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute and the thermal area at Whakarewarewa the visitors proceeded to a Mayoral Reception granted by the Rotorua City Council. On 21 February the delegates left Rotorua and travelled through Urewera National Park to Napier. The following day delegates visited the Thermal Valley at Wairakei and inspected Opotaka Pa and parts of Tongariro National Park. Further inspections of the park were made the next morning and in the afternoon delegates visited Mount Lees Reserve; a public park and gardens gifted to the nation by Mr Ormond Wilson. Urewera and Tongariro National Parks were selected because of their Maori traditions. Urewera - the traditional home of the Tuhoe, "Children of the Mist", retains most strongly the influence of the original Maori inhabitants - and the nucleus of Tongariro National Park was gifted to the nation by Te Heu Heu Tukino and associated Maori Chiefs. PART A - RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS MONDAY 24 FEBRUARY 1975 WELCOME TO CONFERENCE The Chairman, Hon. Matiu Rata, called the Conference to order and bid all the delegates from participating countries, states and terrjtories, a very warm welcome. He conveyed to those present the sincere regret of the Rt Hon. W.E. Rowling, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, who was unfortunately unable to deliver the opening address through absence from the country. However, he said it gave him great pleasure to introduce the Rt Hon. Hugh Watt, a former Deputy Prime Minister,at present Minister of Works and Development, and also High Commissioner Designate to Britain. The Rt Hon. Hugh Watt had kindly consented to formally open the Conference and the Chairman acoordingly invited him to do so. OFFICIAL OPENING ADDRESS - Rt Hon. Hugh Watt I would like to join with Mr Rata in extending a warm welcome to all delegates present today. New Zealand is indeed honoured in being host nation to this first full-scale South Pacific Conference on National Parks and Reserves. We are privileged in having the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, and the South Pacific Commission, identified with us in sponsoring the Conference. It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand to extend to all delegates a very cordial welcome. We hope that the Conference will prove to be a profitable and rewarding experience for each and everyone of you. I have no doubt that it will benefit the countries, states and territories you represent, and the South Pacific region as a whole. The Conference poses a challenge to each administration represented. We hear a lot of talk in our world today about rights: Unfortunately we hear much less about responsibilities. Yet, rights and responsibilities must go together, because if we, as individuals or nations, are to have rights, we also have the responsibility to see that others' rights are preserved. It seems to be a simple equation. We will be entitled to one right if we assume one responsibility of equal proportion, but there is something more involved here. If life was simply a matter of accountancy, there wouldn't be much point to it, and certainly little interest. Whether we like it or not, it still remains true that it is better to give than to receive. The outstanding need in our world today is for people who care; for people who are prepared to work actively, collectively and co-operatively to conserve the environment for SOUTH PACIFIC COMMISS!ON protection ~nd preservation. The environInental future of our region 1S in our hands. We must have a strong belief in this future, and pass on this faith to our fellow countrymen. Desecration of the environment - and this can include the lack of concern to set aside areas of natural and cultural interest - begins in the mind of man. Therefore a systematic and continuing programme of education is needed to develop the co-operation that is so necessary for the conservation of nature and the environment, both at home and internationally. I am pleased to see, therefore, such thought-provoking topics on the agenda as tpreserving the Natural and Cultural Environment', tThe Challenge of Preserving the South Pacific Environment', and 'International Co-operation and Involvement'. Mutual involvement in the environmental field is an important spoke in the wheel of co-operation which must be kept turning in our South Pacific community. New Zealand is keen to continue to play her part. I say 'continue' because from our early days a progressive policy of preserving and maintaining natural recreational areas has been followed by Central Government. Public awareness of the benefits derived from our natural environment has ensured that we are richly endowed with areas of public land for these purposes. Environmental and outdoor education is also pursued to enable visitors to obtain the optimum benefits from their use of such land. New Zealand has a long history of interest and involvement in the South Pacific, but a significant emphasis on relations with the countries of the region has taken place since the Second World War, and particularly since 1955. Our political and economic relations with Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan and the countries of South­ East Asia are of particular importance. Almost half of our overseas trade is with Pacific countries, and this is growing steadily. As part of our good neighbour policy, we have tried to help in the economic development of other island states also, and to increase trade between South Pacific countries. All important reason why New Zealand and its neighbours have become very closely associated, has been the movement of Pacific peoples to this country. Some are New Zealand citizens, and move freely back and forth. The Treaty of Friendship signed in August 1962, for instance, has maintained our long-standing association with Western Samoa, and has resulted in a steady flow of immigrants from that country. New Zealand's interests in the South-East Asia and Pacific regions are continually expanding. We are looking for new ways to foster multi-racial co-operation and understanding in the Pacific Basin. Our basic motivation is concern for those who lack the essentials of life, or the opportunity to develop their own resources. We are interested in projects 5. In May 1974 the Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs had the honour, on behalf of the Government of New Zealand, of advising the Director-General of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, that the Government had decided to adhere, as a state member, to the statutes of the Union. Joining the Union as a state member is consistent with Government policy regarding the integrity of National Parks. It also ensures New Zealand a continuing role in the operation of an important international organisation and it recognises the extent to which we can contribute internationally out of our experience in nature conservation, while gaining from the experience of others. We are now joined with Australia and Western Samoa in state membership of the Union in this South Pacific region. For some years now, both the National Parks Authority and the Nature Conservation Council have held membership in the Union. Both of these organisations retain their membership ties even though New Zealand has become a state member. Our participation as a state member of the Union will allow us to share our experiences with fellow members, and we will also be able to learn from them. Our initiative in holding this first South Pacific Conference on National Parks and Reserves emphasises our deep concern about the scope of conservation and environmental control. It also indicates our intentions of helping our South Pacific and South-East Asian neighbours in their efforts in this field. Further proof of these intentions is the fact that machinery has already been set in motion to provide suitable park ranger training for overseas personnel in New Zealand. We are currently training several Nepalese at the Turangi Training School to better equip them for the task of administering and managing Sagamatha National Park.

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