Fiordland National Park

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Fiordland National Park IUCN Category II (National Park) Map of New Zealand Location Southland, New Zealand Nearest city Te Anau, New ZealandNearest city: Te Anau, New Zealand Coordinates 45°25′S 167°43′E / 45.417°S 167.717°E / -45.417; 167.717Coordinates: 45°25′S 167°43′E / 45.417°S 167.717°E / -45.417; 167.717 Area 12,500 km² Established 1952 Established: 1952 Governing body Department of Conservation

Milford Sound: Mitre Peak, the mountain on the left, rises 1692 metres above the Sound.

An entry to Fiordland National Park.

Eastern Fiordland NZ

Lake Te Anau

Sheerdown Peak near the end of the Milford Track.

near Te Anau

Fiordland National Park occupies the southwest corner of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest of the 14 national parks in New Zealand, with an area of 12,500 km², and a major part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site. The park is administered by the Department of Conservation.

Geographical features

During the cooler past, glaciers carved many deep fiords, the most famous (and most visited) of which is Milford Sound. Other notable fiords include Doubtful Sound and Dusky Sound. From one of the peaks within Fiordland National Park, a view of Mount Aspiring/Tititea to the far north can be observed.^[1]

Fiordland's coast is steep and crenellated, with the fiords running from the valleys of the southern ranges of the Southern Alps, such as the Kepler and Murchison Mountains. At the northern end of the park, several peaks rise to over 2000 metres.

Ice has carved islands from the mainland, leaving two large uninhabited offshore islands, Secretary Island and Resolution Island. Several large lakes lie wholly or partly within the park's boundaries, notably Lake Te Anau, Lake Manapouri, Lake Monowai, Lake Hauroko, and Lake Poteriteri. The Sutherland Falls, to the southwest of Milford Sound on the Milford Track, are among the world's highest waterfalls.

Prevailing westerly winds blow moist air from the Tasman Sea onto the mountains; the cooling of this air as it rises produces a prodigious amount of rainfall, exceeding seven metres in many parts of the park. This supports the lush temperate rain forests of the Fiordland temperate forests ecoregion.

Vegetation and Wildlife

The wildlife in this area include dolphins, seals and birds. Introduced species include mice, rats, hare and deer. Among the birds are the Kakapo, the only flightless parrot in the world. Also there is the kiwi, which is native to New Zealand. The Park is heavily forested with nothofagus trees, a large variety of understory shrubs and ferns being present; examples of the forest floor vegetation include Crown Fern, Blechnum discolor.^[2]

Public access

Road access to Fiordland is restricted to the Milford Road (SH 94), which runs north from Te Anau, skirting the edge of the park before entering it close to the headwaters of the Eglinton River. From there it crosses the northwest corner of the park, reaching its terminus at Milford Sound. South of Te Anau a smaller road links to Manapouri. A minor road links Doubtful Sound with the western edge of Lake Manapouri.

Light aircraft and helicopter services link with Milford Sound, which also has a small boat marina.

Activities

The park is a popular destination for alpine climbers and especially for trampers, with the Milford, Kepler, Hollyford and Routeburn Tracks all in or close to the park.

Fiordland is a challenging tramping destination. There are few tracks. Off-track travel relies on following deer trails. Sandflies, flooding and poor weather are a hazard.

Other tourists are attracted to areas such as Milford Sound.

Mining threat

The current government of New Zealand has indicated that areas of Fiordland National Park may be opened up for mining and mineral exploitation. Particular areas include the Waitutu forest in southern Fiordland. These plans constitute a serious threat to the integrity of Fiordland, which is a world heritage area.^{[citation needed]}

Helicopter hunting

As long ago as the 1920s, the park was plagued with introduced European deer, detrimental to the native New Zealand flora and fauna. The government placed a bounty on the deer, paying local hunters for each animal removed from the park. Combined with the market for venison and deerskin, by the 1960s this had proved a lucrative enough business for several hunters to invest in helicopters, the better to travel through this rugged landscape. The deer population plummeted as a result, and competition among hunters grew fierce. Arguments between men in helicopters with high-powered rifles resulted in more than one pitched battle mid-air over the park. The government soon stepped in to prevent such extremes; combined with a growing farm-raised deer industry, helicopter hunting has declined steeply in more recent years. However, its legacy lives on, as dozens of former hunting helicopters these days carry tourists on sight-seeing aerial journeys.

See also

• Department of Conservation
• National parks of New Zealand

References

• C. Michael Hogan. 2009. Crown Fern: Blechnum discolor, Globaltwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg
• New Zealand Department of Tourist and Publicity. 1906. New Zealand Lakes and Fiords,the Wonders of Western Otago: Descriptive of the Southern Lakes and Mountains,the West Coast Sounds and Stewart Island, published by J.Mackay

Line notes

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fiordland National Park

• Department of Conservation information on Fiordland National Park
• Fiordland Coastal Newsletter