Mt. Cook National Park: an evaluation of protected area management planning processes in New Zealand and their application to developing countries : A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Applied Science at Lincoln University

Abstract

National Parks originated in the United States, with the establishment of Yellowstone National Park in 1872. Since then biodiversity conservation efforts have concentrated on establishing networks of parks and reserves to protect the biodiversities of these sites. The concept of the park master plan was first introduced in the North American National Parks. In New Zealand, national park planning first started when the Tongariro National Park Board produced its master plan in 1964.

Protected area network systems in Nepal started in the early 1970s, when His Majesty's Government of Nepal enacted the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029 (1973). Although the best possible management practices have been used since the establishment of protected areas, there is a lack of a statutory base for involving the public in planning and appropriate planning processes. This creates conflicts between resource management and use. Therefore, for long-term sustainable resources management and use, better planning tools and/or concepts are required.

The New Zealand park planning system appears an appropriate approach for protected area planning. This is evident in many ways; and two main reasons are identified in this dissertation. First, the New Zealand park planning system is based on conservation-empowering legislation such as the National Park Act 1980 and the Conservation Act 1987. Second, the New Zealand park planning system uses public participation as a problem-solving mechanism. Both of these factors, conservation-empowering legislation and public participation in the planning process are lacking in the Nepali park planning system.

The case study for this dissertation illustrates the ways in which the planning process of the Mt. Cook village redevelopment plan has given priority to involving interest groups from the beginning of the planning process as a village development steering group. The planning model set up for the Mt. Cook village redevelopment plan is believed to be appropriate for developing long-term management plans for other protected areas with complex management issues. This planning model is based on a public participatory approach and its basic principles follow a process of strategic planning, including identification of management issues and analysis of stakeholders' interests. The research findings of this dissertation can be extrapolated to other protected areas to improve existing planning processes for long-term sustainable resource management and use.