National parks in New Zealand : conservation or preservation?

Abstract

Natural protected areas are a resource for, and in which, a wide range of values is identified; market value, non-market value, and intrinsic value. National park history, philosophy and legislation is interpreted to suggest that preservation is, ideally, the primary land management goal for national parks, and that this goal reflects a subset of the values identified for protected areas as a whole. In actuality though, there are a number of non-preservationist influences which may increasingly prevent preservationist objectives from being met. These influences reflect a different subset of protected area values. In order for preservation to be achieved, stricter legislation will be necessary and in many cases it will not be applicable to existing national parks. It will be necessary to identify the areas where preservation is still achievable, and to protect those areas under the new legislation. The preservation of land will then require clear understanding of the values underlying preservation, and strong advocacy of those values in the face of pervasive human modifying influences.