Looking at the issues: conservation and management of Westland's historic resource

Abstract

This is a study of pressures on the historic resources of Westland and how these can best be resolved. Pressure is being placed on Westland's historic resources mainly by renewed mining activity and by other factors such as fossicking, visitor numbers and inadequate legislative protection. The aim of this dissertation is to discuss these pressures and to suggest some ways for management to overcome these difficulties.

- Why conserve historic resources? Historic resources represent our cultural heritage. There has been a tendency in the past to concentrate conservation efforts in the area of natural resources. Discovering our history as a nation and as individuals helps build our sense of who we are and our place in the world. By conserving historic resources, we give future people the opportunity to do the same, as well as experiencing just how the place that they live in has come to evolve. By conserving historic resources, ourselves and future generations are able to assess the impact of past activities and industries. With this knowledge, we are better equipped to deal with future decisions, such as the exploitation of natural resources.

- Why Westland? Westland's historic resource presents an opportunity to conserve examples of representative pioneering activities under an overall management strategy. Westland was chosen as the basis of this study, because current landuse activities -in particular, mining, pose threats to the widespread and diverse historic resource occuring there. A major goldrush has been occurring on the West Coast since gold prices rose dramatically in 1979. Virtually all of the original, early gold workings are now claimed under prospecting or mining licences. A look at Westland mining privilege maps illustrates the extent of the impact of current mining applications. (Fig 1) The problems of fossicking on historic sites, increased visitor numbers and inadequate protective legislation add to the difficulties of historic resource management in Westland. Solutions to these management problems would be of use not only to Westland, but also to other areas with similar historic resource management problems.