Ahuriri Conservation Park
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Ahuriri Conservation Park is a
protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...
of 49,000 hectares including
tussock grasslands Tussock grassland is a form of open grassland that is dominated by tussock grasses (also called bunchgrasses). It is common in some temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregions of the Southern Hemisphere. Tussock grasslands are usually ...
, forest, and river habitat, located in Canterbury,
South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...
, New Zealand, and centred around the headwaters of the
Ahuriri River The Ahuriri River is a river in the Canterbury and Otago Regions of the South Island of New Zealand. The headwaters are on the eastern flanks of the Southern Alps. The river flows for through the southernmost part of the Mackenzie Basin befo ...
. The park includes trails and huts. The mountains, forests, tussock lands and river valleys are used for tramping, fishing kayaking, horse riding and hunting. Both the park and neighbouring Ben Avon Station are located near the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, a dark-sky reserve, and are used for astronomy. The town is serviced by the tourist town of
Omarama Omarama is a small town (population 291 at 2018 census) at the junction of State Highways 8 and 83, near the southern end of the Mackenzie Basin, in the South Island of New Zealand. Omarama is in the Waitaki District, in the southern Canterbu ...
.


History

The park was established in 2005, and includes the Birchwood Station leasehold farm the
New Zealand Government , background_color = #012169 , image = New Zealand Government wordmark.svg , image_size=250px , date_established = , country = New Zealand , leader_title = Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern , appointed = Governor-General , main_organ = , ...
bought back for NZ$10 million in 2004. It contained extensive wetlands that had remained largely undeveloped. Birchwood Station continued normal farming operations until the end of the leasehold in 2010. The road to the former Birchwood Station homestead stopped being regularly maintained by
Waitaki District Council Waitaki District Council ( mi, Te Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Waitaki) is the territorial authority for the Waitaki District of New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two ...
in 2011. In 2014, ecologist Peter Espie reported a decrease in native plant species in the park, and suggested introducing grazing management. Parts of the 2020 Disney film ''
Mulan Hua Mulan () is a legendary folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century CE) of Chinese history. According to legend, Mulan took her aged father's place in the conscription for the army by disguising herself as ...
'' were filmed in Ahuriri Valley near the conservation park, including the training camp scenes and some battle scenes.


See also

*
Conservation parks of New Zealand Conservation park is a type of specially protected status for land held by the Crown in New Zealand for conservation purposes. The status is set up under the Conservation Act 1987 and the parks are administered by the Department of Conservation (D ...


References

Protected areas of Otago Waitaki District 2004 establishments in New Zealand Protected areas established in 2004 {{Authority control