Environmentalists ‘stoked’ by expansion they say will protect blue duck, native kaka bird, bats and giant land snails

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A national park in New Zealand has been expanded by 64,000 hectares – the largest gain for a national park in the country’s history.

Kahurangi national park is situated in the north-west corner of New Zealand’s South Island, and is already the second-largest national park in the country.

Now, the wilderness area is set to grow by 14%, an area roughly half the size of the country’s largest city, Auckland, or the size of the city of Christchurch.

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More than 64,000 hectares of conservation land in the Mokihinui River catchment area on the west coast north of Westport will be added to the park, which includes 15km of riverbed.

A hydro-electric dam was proposed for the Mokihinui River in 2007, but was rejected due to strong public opposition and concern about the environmental impacts.

Now, that same river has has been protected under the country’s strongest environmental laws.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The area of Kahurangi National Park that will be expanded in New Zealand. Photograph: New Zealand Department of Conservation

“National park status will ensure stronger protection of the Mokihinui area’s significant cultural, ecological, historic and recreational values … New Zealanders love our protected national parks which hold international as well as national value” said conservation minister Eugenie Sage.

Sage said the project would have threatened plants and wildlife including the blue duck, the native kaka bird, bats and giant land snails.

Conservation group Forest & Bird said they were “stoked” at the expansion, as the region was of “extreme conservation value”.

“It’s fantastic to see this important landscape finally getting the protection it deserves … the lesson that should be learned here is that major development projects don’t belong on conservation land.” said Forest & Bird’s Chief Executive Kevin Hague.

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“With New Zealand’s environment in crisis, and the impacts of climate change expected to increase, now more than ever our public conservation land is needed for its real purpose, conservation.”

New Zealanders reacted with delight to news of the expansion, describing it as “fantastic” “wicked” and something for Kiwis to be proud of. On social media, many Kiwis stated their feelings even more simply - with a love heart emoji.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A giant land snail traverses some moss in New Zealand. Photograph: New Zealand department of the environment

“Today is a good day” said Green Party co-leader James Shaw.

Currently, Kahurangi is 452,002 hectares in size, and contains areas of significant geological interest. It is home to several threatened species, freshwater wetlands, significant Māori cultural and historical sites, and served as the backdrop to several Lord of the Rings film locations, including Dimrill Dale and the outcrop south of Rivendell.

The Mokihinui addition will become official on 11 April, and take the park’s size to a total of 517,335 hectares.

There are 13 national parks in New Zealand, and the largest is Fiordland, at more than 1,230,000 hectares.