Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Stocking of animals and fish not native to NZ
40.1 20.7 21.0
4.6
7.7
2.4
Hunting/trapping
38.6 18.8 21.9
9.3
8.0
2.4
Motorised transport (powered vehicles, boats)
44.9 22.5 15.7
6.2
8.3
2.2
Plantation logging/mining/hydro development
52.8 18.1 16.6
4.3
4.0
2.0
Commercial recreation (e.g. guided tours)
52.7 20.1 13.1
5.5
6.4
2.0
Non-essential/unacceptable 1-2-3-4-5 Essential/acceptable
Where percentage figures do not total 100, the difference is explained by non-response to variables.
Source:
Higham (1997:82)
favourable disposition within the sample frame (Table 7.6).
In Higham's (1997) study, 'distance from civilisation' (mean=4.0) is clearly an
important aspect of wilderness recreation to most inbound tourists. The desire for
remoteness is reinforced in the similar high regard for the scale of the location ('big
enough to take at least two days to walk across' mean=3.8). However, there is also a
desire for the provision of safeguard mechanisms to reduce risk, with the provision of
search and rescue operations receiving the highest mean score (4.3) of all listed variables.
The desire for swing bridges and walkwires over watercourses, signposting and well-
marked and maintained tracks confirm the widely held desire for wilderness recreation in
a natural but relatively safe and humanised environment.
Furthermore, the placement of restrictions upon access and group size, again
inconsistent with the notion of wilderness as free from human influences, was widely
considered acceptable by inbound visitors. The variables 'restricted access' and
'restricted group size' share a mean of 3.8, placing them favourably on Table 7.6. As
Higham (1997:83) observed, 'It is quite possible that positive disposition toward these
variables derives from trampers visiting high profile tracks on which social carrying
capacities are being approached and, at times, exceeded.'
Only seven listed variables returned a mean response which indicated a generally
negative disposition (Table 7.6). Six of these seven variables described activities that
were likely to present associated social or physical impacts. These included commercial
recreation and motorised transport, and grazing of stock and hunting/trapping and
plantation logging, respectively. The seventh such variable, 'gas provided in huts for
cooking', is exceptional in that it described the provision of a facility that may ease the
passage of visitors in backcountry locations. This was the only such variable that was
generally rejected by inbound tourists, all other visitor provisions and facilities (huts,
shelters, the provision of water and toilet facilities) being considered generally acceptable
or compatible with wilderness recreation and tourism.
Higham's (1997) research raises important questions about the role of accessibility to
wilderness areas. Indeed, issues of access are now presenting major management
problems in wilderness and national parks. For many years access to wilderness was
restricted by both the nature of the terrain and the capacity of individuals to travel there.
Up until the Second World War the main means of access to most national parks was by
train, with many of the national parks in the New World actually being developed in
association with the railroads (Runte 1974a, 1974b, 1979; Hall 1992a). However, in the
post-war period there was a substantial increase in the proportion of personal car
ownership, thereby increasing accessibility to parks. National park management agencies
also promoted themselves to the public through 'parks for the people campaigns'. Herein
