Te Wahipounamu

Mappa tal-pożizzjoni ta' Te Wahipounamu.

Te Wāhipounamu (li bil-Māori tfisser "il-post tal-ħaġar aħdar") huwa Sit ta' Wirt Dinji tal-UNESCO fil-Lbiċ tal-Gżira tan-Nofsinhar ta' New Zealand.

Is-sit tniżżel fil-lista tas-Siti ta' Wirt Dinji tal-UNESCO fl-1990, ikopri 26,000 kilometru kwadru (10,000 mil kwadru), u jinkorpora erba' parks nazzjonali:

• Aoraki / Mount Cook;
• Fiordland;
• Mount Aspiring;
• Westland Tai Poutini.

Huwa maħsub li s-sit fih uħud mill-aqwa rappreżentazzjonijiet moderni tal-flora u tal-fawna oriġinali ta' Gondwana, li hija waħda mir-raġunijiet li tniżżel fil-lista tas-Siti ta' Wirt Dinji tal-UNESCO.

Deskrizzjoni

Te Wahipounamu huwa estiż fuq 450 kilometru (280 mil) tul il-kosta tal-Punent tal-Gżira tan-Nofsinhar ta' New Zealand. L-elevazzjoni ta' din l-art tvarja mil-livell tal-baħar sa 3,724 metru (12,218-il pied) fil-quċċata ta' Aoraki / Mount Cook. F'xi postijiet is-sit jestendi 'l ġewwa saħansitra sa 90 kilometru (56 mil). Fi ħdan Te Wahipounamu hemm firxa ta' karatteristiċi naturali, fosthom qċaċet miksijin bil-borra, lagi, kaskati, fjordi u widien. Is-sit jospita wkoll mijiet mill-iżjed glaċieri attivi fid-dinja, iżda l-iżjed tnejn prinċipali huma l-Glaċier ta' Franz Josef u l-Glaċier ta' Fox. Is-sit huwa l-ikbar żona u l-inqas żona mittiefsa tal-ekosistema naturali ta' New Zealand. Għalhekk, il-flora u l-fawna ta' dan is-sit huwa l-iżjed rappreżentazzjoni moderna tal-bijota tal-qedem ta' Gondwanaland.

Flora

Il-veġetazzjoni f'Te Wahipounamu fiha ħafna diversità u tinsab f'kundizzjoni mill-aqwa, prattikament mhux mittiefsa. Fuq il-muntanji hemm veġetazzjoni alpina rikka ta' arbuxxelli, ħaxix u ħxejjex aromatiċi. Il-foresti pluvjali iktar sħan u f'altitudni iktar baxxa huma ddominati minn podokarpi għoljin. Hemm iktar foresti pluvjali u artijiet mistagħdra fil-Punent, u l-iżjed artijiet mistagħdra naturali estensivi tal-ilma ħelu u kważi mhux mittiefsa f'New Zealand jinsabu f'din iż-żona. Il-pjanura kostali ta' Westland hija kkaratterizzata mill-artijiet bassasa għammiela ħafna u mill-bwar tal-pit ftit li xejn għammiela.

Fawna

F'Te Wahipounamu jgħixu bosta annimali indiġeni u hemm l-ikbar popolazzjoni u l-iżjed waħda sinifikanti ta' għasafar tal-foresti fil-pajjiż. Il-popolazzjoni totali fis-selvaġġ tat-takahē, ta' madwar 170 għasfur, tinstab fi ftit widien muntanjużi fi Fiordland. Tul il-kosta tal-Lbiċ jinstabu l-biċċa l-kbira tal-foki ta' New Zealand. F'dan ir-reġjun ukoll jinstabu l-kiwi l-kannella tan-Nofsinhar, il-kiwi l-kbar tat-tikek, il-pappagalli tal-kappa safra, il-pingwini ta' Fiordland, il-falkuni ta' New Zealand, u s-sarselli kannella. Il-kākāpō, l-iżjed pappagalli rari u tqal fid-dinja, instabu f'dan ir-reġjun fil-bidu tas-snin 80 tas-seklu 19. Issa huwa maħsub li ġew estinti fl-art kontinentali.

Popolazzjoni

L-inħawi ta' Te Wahipounamu huma l-inqas parti popolata ta' New Zealand. Il-biċċa l-kbira tar-residenti jaħdmu f'impjiegi relatati mat-turiżmu iżda hemm ukoll xogħlijiet marbuta mal-użu tal-art. Mal-kosta, ir-residenti jaħdmu fl-oqsma tas-sajd, tar-ragħa u tal-estrazzjoni fuq skala żgħira. Fin-naħa tal-Lvant ta' dan is-Sit ta' Wirt Dinji tal-UNESCO, l-art tintuża l-iktar għar-ragħa u għat-trobbija tal-bhejjem. Ir-ragħa tan-nagħaġ u tal-bhejjem tal-ifrat hija permessa bil-liċenzja jew bi ħlas, għalkemm id-deżinjazzjoni ta' Te Wahipounamu bħala Sit ta' Wirt Dinji tal-UNESCO llimitat l-artijiet fejn jistgħu jibqgħu jsiru dawn il-prattiki.

Formazzjonijiet ġeoloġiċi

Te Wahipounamu huwa wieħed mill-iżjed reġjuni b'attività sismika fid-dinja. Jinsab tul il-konfini ta' żewġ plakek tettoniċi, il-Plakka tal-Paċifiku u l-Plakka Indo-Awstraljana. Il-muntanji fl-inħawi huma riżultat taċ-ċaqliq tettoniku matul dawn l-aħħar 5 miljun sena. Il-glaċieri huma karatteristika ewlenija ta' dan is-sit. Ix-xejriet bażiċi tagħhom ġew stabbiliti matul il-glaċjazzjonijiet tal-Plejstoċen, għalkemm kien hemm bidliet postglaċjali sostanzjali. Dawn il-bidliet huma ferm ikbar fl-Alpi tan-Nofsinhar milli fi Fiordlands. Bidliet tipiċi jinkludu l-formazzjoni intensiva ta' gandotti jew kanali, ta' rdumijiet jew artijiet imtarrġa, u ċedimenti kbar jew żgħar tal-art u tal-blat. Iċ-ċedimenti tal-art, għalkemm mhux daqstant frekwenti, huma periklu potenzjali tar-reġjun. Minkejja li hemm densità baxxa ta' insedjamenti u kurituri tat-trasport, hemm il-potenzjal li jkun hemm ċedimenti tal-art qrib l-infrastruttura turistika fl-Alpi tan-Nofsinhar.

Rabta tal-Māori mal-art

Ir-reġjun kollu ta' Te Wahipounamu għandu importanza kbira għall-Māori, b'mod partikolari l-iNgāi Tahu iwi, li r-rohe (żona tradizzjonali ta' kontroll) tagħhom tkopri l-maġġoranza tal-Gżira tan-Nofsinhar.

Leġġenda

Il-leġġenda dwar il-formazzjoni ta' dan ir-reġjun u l-Gżira tan-Nofsinhar issostni li Te Wahipounamu ġie ffurmat meta l-erba' wlied subien ta' Rakinui, il-Missier tas-Smewwiet, niżel mis-smewwiet u għamel vjaġġ madwar Papatūānuku, id-Dinja Omm. Matul dan il-vjaġġ, il-kenura tagħhom laqtet sikka u l-aħwa sabu ruħhom imwaħħlin bejn sema u ilma. Riħ tas-sirda mill-Baħar tat-Tażmanja ffriżhom u saru tal-ġebel, u l-kenura tagħhom saret il-Gżira tan-Nofsinhar ta' New Zealand. L-itwal fost l-aħwa kien Aoraki li issa jitqies li huwa Aoraki / Mt. Cook, filwaqt li l-aħwa l-oħra u membri oħra tal-ekwipaġġ jiffurmaw il-bqija tal-Alpi tan-Nofsinhar.

Il-Māori wkoll għandhom leġġenda dwar il-formazzjoni tal-Glaċieri ta' Franz Josef u ta' Fox. Din il-leġġenda tibda b'Hinehukatere li kienet tħobb tixxabbat mal-muntanji. Darba fost l-oħrajn ipperswadiet lill-maħbub tagħha, Tawe, biex jingħaqad magħha. Valanga qatlet lil Tawe u straħ għal dejjem fil-Glaċier ta' Fox. L-isem Māori tradizzjonali għall-glaċier huwa Te Moeke o Tauwe, li jfisser is-"sodda ta' Tauwe". Wara l-mewt ta' Tauwe, Hinehukatere kellha qalbha maqsuma u tgħidx kemm bkiet. Id-dmugħ minn dan il-biki ffriża u fforma l-Glaċier ta' Franz Josef. L-isem Maori tal-Glaċier ta' Franz Josef huwa Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere, li jfisser id-"dmugħ ta' Hinehukatere".

Użu tar-reġjun

L-inħawi kienu u għadhom sors importanti tal-ħaġar aħdar ta' pounamu jew il-ġada. Dan il-ħaġar prezzjuża jintuża mill-Maori fil-produzzjoni tal-għodod, tal-armi u tal-ġojjellerija.

Sit ta' Wirt Dinji

Te Wahipounamu ġie ddeżinjat bħala Sit ta' Wirt Dinji tal-UNESCO fl-1990. Il-Park Nazzjonali ta' Westland u ta' Mount Cook u l-Park Nazzjonali ta' Fiordland kienu diġà meqjusa bħala Sit ta' Wirt Dinji tal-UNESCO, iżda mbagħad ġew meqjusa b'mod kollettiv f'Te Wahipounamu.

Il-valur universali straordinarju tas-sit ġie rrikonoxxut abbażi ta' erba' kriterji tal-għażla tal-UNESCO: il-kriterju (vii) "Post fejn iseħħu fenomeni naturali tal-għaġeb jew fejn hemm żoni ta' ġmiel naturali u ta' importanza estetika eċċezzjonali"; il-kriterju (viii) "Eżempju straordinarju li jirrappreżenta stadji importanti tal-istorja tad-dinja, inkluż it-trapass tal-ħajja, il-proċessi ġeoloġiċi kontinwi sinifikanti fl-iżvilupp tat-tipi differenti ta' art, jew il-karatteristiċi ġeomorfiċi jew fiżjografiċi sinifikanti"; il-kriterju (ix) "Eżempju straordinarju li jirrappreżenta proċessi ekoloġiċi u bijoloġiċi kontinwi sinifikanti fl-evoluzzjoni u fl-iżvilupp ta' ekosistemi u ta' komunitajiet ta' pjanti u ta' annimali terrestri, tal-ilma ħelu, kostali u tal-baħar"; il-kriterju (x) "Post fejn hemm l-iktar ħabitats naturali importanti u sinifikanti għall-konservazzjoni fil-post tad-diversità bijoloġika, inkluż fejn hemm speċijiet mhedda ta' valur universali straordinarju mill-perspettiva tax-xjenza jew tal-konservazzjoni".

Is-sit jinkludi bosta karatteristiċi naturali li jikkontribwixxu għar-reputazzjoni ta' New Zealand bħala post b'pajsaġġi eċċezzjonali. Jitqies bħala l-aqwa eżempju modern tal-bijota ta' Gondwanaland u għaldaqstant huwa ta' importanza globali. Hemm livell għoli ta' ġeodiversità u ta' bijodiversità, b'ħabitats kważi mhux mittiefsa. Barra minn hekk, hemm firxa wiesgħa ta' flora u ta' fawna mhux tas-soltu ta' New Zealand, li joħorġu fid-dieher l-iżolament evoluzzjonarju.

Protezzjoni u ġestjoni

Rekwiżiti legali

Il-biċċa l-kbira tal-art f'Te Wahipounamu hija proprjetà tal-Kuruna (il-gvern u l-poplu ta' New Zealand) u tiġi amministrata mid-Dipartiment tal-Konservazzjoni. L-iżjed regolamenti importanti huma l-Att tal-Parks Nazzjonali tal-1980, l-Att dwar il-Konservazzjoni tal-1987, u l-Att dwar ir-Riżervi tal-1977, li ma tfasslux b'mod speċifiku għal Te Wahipounamu iżda japplikaw kif inhuma għal New Zealand kollu. Hemm ukoll mandat leġiżlattiv għall-preservazzjoni u għall-protezzjoni tar-riżorsi naturali u storiċi, biex jinżamm il-valur intrinsiku tagħhom, u jsir minn kollox biex jiġu apprezzati u jitgawdew għar-rikreazzjoni tal-pubbliku, filwaqt li jiġu ssalvagwardjati għall-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri.

Trattat ta' Waitangi

It-Trattat ta' Waitangi jagħti lill-poplu Ngāi Tahu l-prestiġju u l-awtorità fuq l-art. Id-Dipartiment tal-Konservazzjoni huwa obbligat li jżomm mal-prinċipji ta' dan it-trattat. Dan jimplika ftehim ta' sħubija mal-poplu Ngāi Tahu. Din is-sħubija tinvolvi proċess annwali ta' ppjanar mal-iNgāi Tahu iwi (l-awtorità tribali ewlenija), li jagħti lill-poplu Ngāi Tahu opportunità li jinvolvi ruħu u jikkontribwixxi fil-ġestjoni operazzjonali tas-sit.

Madankollu, it-trattat mhux dejjem ġie onorat, għalkemm intlaħaq ftehim għall-ħabta meta Te Wahipounamu ġie ddikjarat bħala Sit ta' Wirt Dinji tal-UNESCO. L-implikazzjonijiet ta' dan kienu tlieta. Mount Cook saret Aoraki / Mount Cook u ntlaħaq qbil li 88 karatteristika topografika oħra jkollhom ismijiet bilingwi bl-Ingliż u bil-Māori. It-titlu għal Aoraki ġie rritornat lit-tribù Ngāi Tahu li min-naħa tiegħu tah b'donazzjoni lill-poplu ta' New Zealand. Barra minn hekk, it-tribù ngħata drittijiet tal-aċċess biex b'mod temporanju jkun jista' jiġbor ikel u materjali tradizzjonali.

Qafas tal-ippjanar tal-ġestjoni

There are four main planning entities for developing the management framework for the wilderness resources of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area. The first entity is legislation. New Zealand does not have any legislation specific to the World Heritage Site and therefore Te Wahipounamu is managed under the previously mentioned legislation (National Parks Act, Conservation Act, Reserves Act). The second entity is visitor strategy. The Department of Conservation manages all sites within Te Wahipounamu under the Visitor Strategy. This strategy divides visitors into seven groups based on the length of their stay and the type of activities they seek. It then provides quality recreational opportunities for these groups and facilities when appropriate. The third entity is conservation management strategies. These are documents stating regional conservation and they outline strategic priorities and key sites for biodiversity conservation and visitor recreation. The final planning entity is management plans. Management plans are created for specific sites within Te Wahipounamu. Each National Park has its own management plan.

Turiżmu

Milford Sound.

The main tourist attractions within Te Wahipounamu are Milford Sound / Piopiotahi and the Milford Track, Lake Te Anau and the Kepler Track, the Routeburn Track and Mount Aspiring / Tititea, Aoraki / Mount Cook and the Haupapa / Tasman, Franz Josef, and Fox Glaciers. There are only two main roads in the region, the Haast Highway and Milford Highway. Along these highways, which are referred to as the “Heritage Highway” corridors, is a network of ten visitor centres and a multitude of nature walks. A main attraction to Te Wahipounamu, and New Zealand in general, is the natural landscape. A study found that key motivating factors for visitors to Te Wahipounamu are the scenery and recreational activities. Tourism within Te Wahipounamu is nature-based, ‘green’ tourism. There is a combination of nature and adventure tourism. There are some strictly nature based tourism activities such as walking in the Natural Parks, whale-watching, and boat tours in the Fiordland Sounds. Then there are activities such as tramping or trekking, which contain adventure components like crossing rivers or mountain passes while enjoying the natural scenery. Even the adventure activities like glacier walks, rafting, and climbing take place in the natural environment.

According to Charnley, this type of nature tourism may not qualify as ecotourism. In her definition of ecotourism, it must have genuine social benefits and serve as a tool for sustainable community development. This requires meeting three conditions. Economic benefits must be structured in a culturally appropriate way that makes them accessible to the target population. For communities to benefit, they need secure land tenure over the area as well as the ability to make land use decisions. And the tourism benefits have to be more than economic, they must promote deeper social and political justice goals. The communities in Te Wahipounamu survive mainly through tourism. Most residents of the region are there because of the tourism employment opportunities. Thus the economic benefits are prevalent, but in most cases there lacks a further cultural or conservational component. Although there are some more historically and culturally based tourism activities and tours available. There is cultural integration among visitors and locals due to the small scale of the facilities but there is less often a link to traditional Maori culture. Conservational efforts are in place in this entire region but they are a result of governmental beliefs and World Heritage designation, they are not a result of the tool of ecotourism. So many people may refer to ecotourism in Te Wahipounamu but whether it truly deserves that title is open to interpretation.

The area is a destination for large cruise ships which do not dock and smaller cruise ships that run local itineraries.

Wilderness

Within Te Wahipounamu there are four wilderness areas. These areas are Hooker-Landsborough, which covers 41,000 ha, Olivine (80,000 ha), Pembroke (18,000 ha) and Glaisnock (125,000 ha). Together these wilderness areas make up 10% of the total area of Te Wahipounamu. They are managed strictly in terms of the New Zealand Wilderness Policy. This policy defines wilderness areas as “wildlands that appear to have been affected only by the forces of nature, with any imprint of human interference substantially unnoticeable. Designated wilderness areas are managed to perpetuate their natural condition”. There are no visitor facilities in these areas. No roads, huts, bridges, or even tracks. And there is no air access for recreational or commercial purposes. Visitors enter these areas “on nature's terms”.

The wilderness areas perpetuate ideas of purity and nature that have long existed. John Muir and Aldo Leopold advocated for the protection of the American wilderness and wilderness ideas were one of the foundations for the environmental movement in the United States. The New Zealand Wilderness Policy mirrors these ideas with criteria about having this protected land for enjoyment but keeping it virtually untouched by humans. The continuing rise in tourism to New Zealand is affecting this experience though. There are perceptions of crowding on several of the backcountry tramping tracks. This effects and minimizes the desired experience of wilderness and solitude.

Kwistjonijiet oħra

There are a variety of issues throughout Te Wahipounamu that still need resolution. They include the following:

The environmental threat of a Haast-Hollyford road, a proposal that has been suggested since the 1870s.

There is a further need to forge a working partnership with the Ngāi Tahu iwi. In principle there is a framework for this partnership but it is a persistent issue to realise the theoretical framework and implement a true partnership.

Due to tourism there is an increase in tourist aircraft. The noise pollution from these aircraft disrupts the “natural quiet” of this region, which many wish to preserve.

Currently the World Heritage Area does not include a marine component. There is a perceived need for better protection of the coastal wilderness.

One of the larger issues the region faces are populations of invasive species. Invasive species have the biggest impact on the region. Population increases of red deer, and other browsing mammals such as wapiti, goat, and fallow deer, have caused severe damage and particularly threaten the integrity of the forest and alpine ecosystems. Commercial hunting has been used as a means of reducing these populations to ecologically acceptable levels. The Department of Conservation has control programs and the National Parks policy is to eradicate new invasions and eradicate or reduce the range of existing invasive species