GVT: Hon Chris Carter: Molesworth Station to become high country park
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Molesworth Station to become high country park
New Zealand's largest farm will be permanently protected as a unique =
high country park, Prime Minister Helen Clark announced today.
Molesworth Station in South Marlborough spans an area the size of =
Stewart Island. The station covers more than 180,000 hectares of =
mountains, rivers, wetlands, lakes and tussock grasslands. About 7000 =
cattle graze on about a third of the station, which had been =
administered by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) as a Crown special =
lease.
"Molesworth is in Crown ownership but for decades farming needs have =
restricted public access to its vast and beautiful landscapes," Helen =
Clark said.
"In recent years this has begun to change. There has been a growing =
recognition that Molesworth has natural, recreational and historical =
significance beyond the economic value of its huge farming operation. =
Under LINZ management, recreational access increased and it is time the =
wider public interest in the station was acknowledged through its legal =
status."
From July 2005, management of Molesworth will transfer from LINZ to the =
Department of Conservation (DOC). The station will be declared a reserve =
and more conservation, recreation and historic heritage preservation =
will be integrated alongside the existing farming operation. Landcorp, =
which has run Molesworth's farming operation to date, is expected to =
renew its lease to continue farming the station.
"This is an exciting and momentous change for Molesworth," Helen Clark =
said.
"The Government's decision will permanently protect a spectacular New =
Zealand landscape on the east of the South Island, where there are =
currently few public conservation areas. More than ninety per cent of =
parks and reserves in the South Island are west of the main divide.
"Molesworth is an extraordinary area for recreation offering =
opportunities for walking, mountain biking, trout fishing, tramping and =
horse-trekking. Currently, less than fifteen per cent of the station is =
permanently open to the public. I expect that under DOC management =
access will increase where it is compatible with farming," Helen Clark =
said.
Helen Clark says Molesworth has significant tourism potential.=20
"It lies between the Marlborough, Kaikoura and Hurunui tourism areas, =
and is off the main route south from Picton. Although the Acheron Road, =
which runs through the station, was open for only six weeks last summer, =
Molesworth attracted 7000 visitors."
=20
Conservation Minister Chris Carter says the biodiversity of Molesworth =
is hugely important.
"Molesworth is one of five hotspots for New Zealand's biodiviersity. A =
high proportion of species in the area are found no where else in the =
world. Molesworth itself sports 77 plant and lizard species that are =
threatened with extinction, including one plant species that lives only =
in the station and no where else in New Zealand.
"Many of these species have evolved over aeons, surviving numerous =
ice-ages. The permanent protection of Molesworth as a reserve will =
enable DOC to increase the focus on protecting these species and =
informing the public about them," Mr Carter said.
About 47,000 hectares of Molesworth will be designated as conservation =
zones immediately, and DOC will step-up an intensive programme of pest =
and weed control to restore them.
Land Information Minister John Tamihere thanked LINZ for their =
stewardship of the station.
"LINZ has done a good job working with Landcorp to develop Molesworth to =
the point it is now at. Not so many years ago the station was abandoned =
by farmers as a waste-land, riddled with rabbits. Careful management has =
turned that around.
"Landcorp's farming operation will continue under DOC management," Mr =
Tamihere said.
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<html><head></head><body><font face=3D'verdana' size=3D'2'><b>Molesworth =
Station to become high country park</b><br><br>New Zealand's largest =
farm will be permanently protected as a unique high country park, Prime =
Minister Helen Clark announced today.<BR><BR>Molesworth Station in South =
Marlborough spans an area the size of Stewart Island. The station covers =
more than 180,000 hectares of mountains, rivers, wetlands, lakes and =
tussock grasslands. About 7000 cattle graze on about a third of the =
station, which had been administered by Land Information New Zealand =
(LINZ) as a Crown special lease.<BR><BR>"Molesworth is in Crown =
ownership but for decades farming needs have restricted public access to =
its vast and beautiful landscapes," Helen Clark said.<BR><BR>"In recent =
years this has begun to change. There has been a growing recognition =
that Molesworth has natural, recreational and historical significance =
beyond the economic value of its huge farming operation. Under LINZ =
management, recreational access increased and it is time the wider =
public interest in the station was acknowledged through its legal =
status."<BR><BR>From July 2005, management of Molesworth will transfer =
from LINZ to the Department of Conservation (DOC). The station will be =
declared a reserve and more conservation, recreation and historic =
heritage preservation will be integrated alongside the existing farming =
operation. Landcorp, which has run Molesworth's farming operation to =
date, is expected to renew its lease to continue farming the =
station.<BR><BR>"This is an exciting and momentous change for =
Molesworth," Helen Clark said.<BR><BR>"The Government's decision will =
permanently protect a spectacular New Zealand landscape on the east of =
the South Island, where there are currently few public conservation =
areas. More than ninety per cent of parks and reserves in the South =
Island are west of the main divide.<BR><BR>"Molesworth is an =
extraordinary area for recreation offering opportunities for walking, =
mountain biking, trout fishing, tramping and horse-trekking. Currently, =
less than fifteen per cent of the station is permanently open to the =
public. I expect that under DOC management access will increase where it =
is compatible with farming," Helen Clark said.<BR><BR>Helen Clark says =
Molesworth has significant tourism potential. <BR><BR>"It lies between =
the Marlborough, Kaikoura and Hurunui tourism areas, and is off the main =
route south from Picton. Although the Acheron Road, which runs through =
the station, was open for only six weeks last summer, Molesworth =
attracted 7000 visitors."<BR> <BR>Conservation Minister Chris Carter =
says the biodiversity of Molesworth is hugely =
important.<BR><BR>"Molesworth is one of five hotspots for New Zealand's =
biodiviersity. A high proportion of species in the area are found no =
where else in the world. Molesworth itself sports 77 plant and lizard =
species that are threatened with extinction, including one plant species =
that lives only in the station and no where else in New =
Zealand.<BR><BR>"Many of these species have evolved over aeons, =
surviving numerous ice-ages. The permanent protection of Molesworth as a =
reserve will enable DOC to increase the focus on protecting these =
species and informing the public about them," Mr Carter =
said.<BR><BR>About 47,000 hectares of Molesworth will be designated as =
conservation zones immediately, and DOC will step-up an intensive =
programme of pest and weed control to restore them.<BR><BR>Land =
Information Minister John Tamihere thanked LINZ for their stewardship of =
the station.<BR><BR>"LINZ has done a good job working with Landcorp to =
develop Molesworth to the point it is now at. Not so many years ago the =
station was abandoned by farmers as a waste-land, riddled with rabbits. =
Careful management has turned that around.<BR><BR>"Landcorp's farming =
operation will continue under DOC management," Mr Tamihere =
said.<br><br>The Chris Carter mailing list operated by OneSquared =
Limited.<br><br>Click <a =
href=3D'http://www.beehive.govt.nz/Lists/index.cfm?UID=3D2160&unsubscribe=
=3Dyes'>here</a> to unsubscribe.<br><br>If the unsubscribe link is not =
active, enter the following address in your browser address bar and =
press the Enter =
key.<br><br>http://www.beehive.govt.nz/Lists/index.cfm?UID=3D2160&unsubsc=
ribe=3Dyes<br><br>You can also subscribe to this service or change and =
maintain your existing subscription list by going to:<br><br> <a href =
=3D =
'http://www.beehive.govt.nz/lists/default.cfm'>http://www.beehive.govt.nz=
/lists/default.cfm</a><br><br></font></body></head>
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