Protecting New Zealand's natural heritage: A systems approach to 'user pays' in National Parks

Abstract

The management and funding of national parks is a complex issue which requires careful consideration and planning. With pressure on the Department of Conservation to provide additional facilities for an increasing tourist industry, coupled with fiscal pressure to reduce public spending, the introduction of a 'user pays' system has been suggested as a means of generating additional revenue. Stakeholders are divided over the appropriateness of introducing 'user pays' to the New Zealand national park system. This division has created a 'tension' between stakeholders.

An analysis of this 'tension' using a Triple Soft System Methodology (Tri-SSM) indicated that there is a wider social conflict occurring within the national park system. This social conflict concerns the ambiguity within the National Parks Act (1980) and the Conservation Act (1987). This ambiguity is represented through the dual purposes of preservation and use.

This thesis concludes that the introduction of a 'user pays' system to generate revenue is both economically inefficient and socially unacceptable. This thesis expands on recent literature and proposes that co-management practices, implemented through a Tri-SSM process, will incorporate traditional knowledge, scientific knowledge and environment ethics into the decision making process and in doing so addressing the social conflict. Also the implementation of an International Visitor Levy is suggested as a possible means of addressing the tension and facilitating agreement between stakeholders.