Nature Trails and Mixed Routes - Tourism and Trails: Cultural, Ecological and Management Issues - page 73

characteristics of what Stebbins (2007) refers to as 'serious' recreationists - in
this case die-hard enthusiasts, who are resolutely attached to their leisure
hiking pursuits. Below, two cases are presented on nature trails of differing
scales: Great Walks, New Zealand, and the Appalachian Trail, USA.

Case Study: Great Walks, New Zealand
The Great Walks are found within the National Parks, Forest Parks and
other Conservation Areas in New Zealand that are managed by the
Department of Conservation (DOC). According the Department's
website (www.doc.nz/parks-and-trecreation/tracks-and-walks/great-
walks/), these are 'premier tracks that pass through diverse and spec-
tacular scenery, including native forests, lakes and rivers to rugged
mountain peaks, deep gorges and vast valleys'. There are nine of them,
and they are an essential part of New Zealand's backcountry and are
used for outdoor recreation. Some of the Great Walks have a long history
associated with them; the Milford Track opened in 1890 and over the
1890s the Whanganui River was known to visitors as the Rhine of New
Zealand, explored by some of New Zealand's elite early international
visitors. By the 1990s, with New Zealand established as an international
visitor destination, the DOC set out its visitor strategy, which according
to Kearsley and Coughlan (1999) attempted to find a balance between
the growth of tourism, the natural resources available to them and the
level of facilities that could be maintained on a permanent basis. They
identified the following seven visitor groups:

• Short stop travelers (SST).
• Day visitors (DV).
• Overnighters (ON).
• Backcountry Comfort Seekers (BCC).

• Backcountry Adventurers (BCA).

• Remote Seekers (RS).

• Thrill Seekers (TS).

With respect to visitors in New Zealand's backcountry, the BCC, BCA
and to a certain extent the RS groups apply. With respect to the Great
Walks, these are predominantly the choice of BCC as these trails have
a number of well-serviced huts along the routes. In its 1996 Strategy,
the DOC noted that BCC visitors have little or only moderate experi-
ence of a backcountry and the priority is on ensuring they have safe
facilities, a good track surface and a degree of comfort in camping and

( Continued )