Existing and potential use of Orton Bradley Park, Charteris Bay, New Zealand

Orton Bradley Park (OBP) is a private farm park located 25 kilometres south east of Christchurch in the Lyttelton Harbour basin. The Park is marketed as offering peaceful picnic, BBQ and camping areas, heritage buildings and agricultural relics, as well as extensive walking tracks through regenerating native forest, commercial forest and farmland. Over its forty years of operation, little visitor profile data has been collected, so documented evidence of the Park’s use and users is limited. Despite this lack of information on visitation, recent development proposals have been suggested for the Park, which include family-friendly mountain bike tracks, a café, plant nursery, dog exercise area, historic tours and year-round basic camping facilities. To help evaluate the appropriateness of the proposed Park developments, the purpose of this study was to better understand OBP’s current and potential visitor use and markets in order for the Orton Bradley Park Board to make informed choices about future development and marketing

A bibliographical review of research completed by Nepali students at Lincoln University, New Zealand (1956 - 2022)

Not long after the summiting of Everest in May 1953, Bidur Kumar Thapa, the first recorded Nepali student arrived at the then Lincoln Agricultural College, supported by the Colombo Plan. He graduated in 1956 with a Masters of Agricultural Science with Honours in Soil Science under the supervision of Dr Walker, and went on to publish his findings on grassland soils in the Journal of Soil Science, in 1959. Thapa’s work laid the foundation and pathway for future students from Nepal. In the following years, more than fifty Nepali research students have been recorded in the Lincoln University archives as completing a range of research-based qualifications from across the University, and in many instances going on to publish findings in scholarly journals. This annotated bibliography sets out to collate, review and curate their collective research efforts spanning almost seventy years

The Tourism Adaptation Classification (TAC) framework: An application to New Zealand's Glacier country

Alongside growing awareness of the significance of environmental change for glacier regions, and their tourism-dependent communities, is the realization of the need to adapt to changing conditions. Such adaptation is necessary for tourism operators, managers, and planners as well as the visitors themselves, and is part of building resilient tourism systems. This paper presents a conceptual framework for understanding the possible stages of adaptation in glacier tourism destinations. The Tourism Adaptation Classification (TAC) framework aligns three stages of adaptation (resilience, transition, and transformation) against adaptation strategies implemented by tourism stakeholders and identifies specific characteristics. Using a desk-based case study approach, the framework is illustrated with reference to Glacier Country in New Zealand's Westland/Tai Poutini National Park in relation to three core dimensions of the tourism system: tourism planning and governance; tourism business and operations; and visitor experience

Food security in a COVID-impacted tourism destination: A case study of Queenstown, New Zealand

This report outlines the food (in)security situation in Queenstown, New Zealand in the context of its COVID-affected tourism downturn. It is illustrative of the global pandemic’s disruption to the tourism-dependent town and the ways in which this impacted food security within the community. The project used interview data from 13 interviewees each active in the Queenstown community in food welfare, social support, or local government. Supplementary data was gathered via a desk-based document and media search. Community-based food welfare providers reported high demand for food parcels largely due to COVID-19-related income reductions and job losses. Food welfare demand was strong from the commencement of the nationwide lockdown in March 2020, and remained relatively consistent in subsequent months as national borders remained closed to international visitors. Interviewees reported high numbers of migrants accessing food welfare as the result of tourism job losses, reduced shifts, and loss of access to meals they had received in hospitality roles previously. Many of these migrants were ineligible for government support. COVID-19 food security issues have been exacerbated by high demand for housing and high density living, which has reduced the amount of land available for home vegetable planting. This is limiting own food production and access to affordable high-nutrition foods. Reliance on the food welfare sector as a long term strategy is not sustainable if food security is the goal, however the array of community groups that offer food welfare may be able to proactively bolster food security, concurrent with their food welfare operations, and so enable food welfare recipients to transition to less vulnerability and greater food security in the future. Our findings caution against sectoral ‘self-sufficiency’ because high degrees of independence within sectors can translate to vulnerability in the face of disruption. Inter-sectoral integration – particularly within the agriculture, food and tourism sectors – is one avenue by which each sector could become more resilient. Further research in this area could identify pathways for building resilience

Stakeholder perspectives on the implications of increases in tourism on local users of nature-based recreation settings in the Selwyn District, New Zealand

The pre-COVID-19 growth in international tourism to New Zealand and the dispersal of visitors into the regions resulted in pressure at nature-based settings where both recreation and tourism occur. This research used data from interviews with fourteen outdoor recreationists to examine how they were responding to increasing visitor numbers at their favoured nature-based recreation settings. Findings suggested that recreationists have noticed increased tourism in areas used for outdoor recreation, and, although tourism to New Zealand was broadly supported, there were concerns about the negative impacts of tourism. Participants in this study reported displacing from their usual nature-based recreation settings due to tourism, and there was also evidence of the use of cognitive coping strategies. Analysis suggested that stakeholder perspectives align with tourism literature suggesting that tolerance for tourism decreases over time, typically as visitor numbers increase, and in the absence of direct benefits from tourism. This paper reports on phase two of a three-phase research project examining the implications of increases in tourism at nature-based recreation settings in the Selwyn District. Phases one and three (also published in the LEaP series) report on the literature on regional tourism and outdoor recreation, and on the perspectives of nature-based recreationists active in the study area

Tourism at the Glaciers

This presentation is the result of collaboration between researchers from the University of Canterbury and Lincoln University, bringing together our respective interests in the physical changes occurring at the Westland Glaciers and the consequential social effects - especially those related to the perceptions of visitors to the region. The recent changes at Fox and Franz Josef are evident to those who live and work here, and to those who have monitored these features over time. One of the aspects we wanted to explore is how aware visitors might be of changes, how their expectations about the glaciers matched their experiences, and how critical the glaciers themselves were to the ‘value’ of the Westland National Park experience. In addressing these sorts of questions, alongside improving our understanding of the physical conditions, the intention is to add to a database of information that can be used by those who live and work here, to make informed decisions about future delivery of the tourism experience.This on-going work is aligned to international studies of tourism in glacier environments – such as that in Athabasca Glacier, Jasper National Park – also experiencing environmental change

Communicating Predator Free 2050 with children: A literature review on age-appropriate conservation action

In response to the documented decline of New Zealand’s native flora and fauna in the face of introduced predators, the New Zealand Government has set out to eradicate several species of mammalian predators by the year 2050 through its Predator-Free 2050 initiative (PF2050). This collaborative, nation-wide programme reflects an investment in a biological and social movement that depends on cross-sector cooperation and community partnership, multigenerational awareness, engagement and action. Hence there is legitimate public and scholarly interest in the issue of how best to convey key predator and pest control themes within conservation communication targeted at children. In particular, concerns have been raised about the potential effects of these messages on the development of empathy and healthy attitudes toward stewardship of nature as a whole. This commissioned report explores the literature on this theme, starting with the literature on children’s empathy for nature and animals, before looking to the research on the development of moral reasoning and empathy in children. The report will then draw on these two bodies of literature – along with research on communicating complex issues with children – to discuss how PF2050 messages can be communicated to children in an age-appropriate context. The report concludes with a set of principles intended to help guide conservation educators in designing predator control education programmes for childre

The impact of climate variability on tourism businesses and tourism infrastructure providers in Glacier Country

This report summarises the findings from 24 interviews with tourist operators and infrastructure providers in Glacier Country on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. The research was undertaken in September 2011. In line with the area represented by the Glacier Country Tourism Group (GCTG), Glacier Country stretches from Whataroa in the north, to Bruce Bay and Lake Paringa in the south: the majority of tourism activity occurs in and around the settlements of Franz Josef, Fox Glacier, Whataroa and Okarito. The interviews explored the ways in which tourism businesses and infrastructure providers in Glacier Country currently deal with, and/or plan for, climate variability (i.e., daily weather conditions), extreme weather events (such as severe storms or unusually heavy rainfall events) and predicted longer term climate changes (e.g., increased rainfall intensity, increased westerly wind, reduction in glaciation). This Glacier Country case study follows earlier research undertaken in the Southern Lakes Region and in Northland. A number of climate and weather related tourism issues identified in these earlier studies were also examined in respect of tourism in Glacier Country, including the use of weather information and emergency management. This case study also included an additional set of questions about other future concerns – particularly around the supply and cost of energy for tourism in the region – and challenges facing tourism in Glacier Country.This project is funded through the Foundation of Science, Research and Technology

Social dimensions of national park use: a case study of summertime visitation to Arthur's Pass National Park

The visits people make to national parks are products of their various social characteristics, early and current experiences, motivations, perceptions, and attitudes. These visits, however, also occur within a broader social context, the identification of which is an important feature in terms of understanding national park use. This study examines contemporary social dimensions of national park use, and assesses the degree to which the relationship between preservation and use has altered since a study of the same location was undertaken by Simmons in 1980. Through the use of both quantitative and qualitative techniques, the research explores the characteristics, motivations, perceptions, attitudes and activities of summertime visitors to Arthur's Pass National Park in 1994. The results of the research show that a number of dimensions have remained stable over time. Consistent with the findings of Simmons (1980), visitors to Arthur's Pass National Park are young, predominantly male, well-educated, and from professional occupational backgrounds. Additionally, family and friends continue to act as strong socialising agents which direct and shape Park use. Notable among the studies' differences include: an increased proportion of overseas visitors; a reduction in the length of visit; and a diversification and intensification of recreational use. This thesis contends that, owing to a diverse set of technological and socio-political developments, the use of Arthur's Pass National Park is in a process of transition. Elements of this have important implications for the management paradox concerning preservation and use. New styles of recreation, and increasing numbers of overseas visitors can be seen as challenges to the traditional conceptions of national parks, and will require careful management in order to conserve the opportunities and experiences they offer

The phenomenon of risk and its management in natural resource recreation and tourism settings : a case study of Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers, Westland National Park, New Zealand

The significance of risk is growing in many Western societies, a phenomenon linked to increasing individualism, personal choice, and outcome uncertainty in multiple spheres of life. Despite being healthier and more physically protected from harm than any previous society, a serious concern for safety and risk control is emerging as a defining characteristic of modern social life. Within the context of a risk-averse society, this thesis investigates the nature and relevance of risk in natural resource recreation and tourism settings. Millions of people every day visit national parks and other protected areas around the world in which natural hazards inhere. Many visitors fail to recognise these hazards, creating moral, legal, and ethical issues for natural resource managers. People travel to national parks anticipating a degree of adventure, to escape routines, and to witness the grandeur of nature. Ironically, the very qualities that attract people to natural areas may also put them at risk. Managers of natural resource tourism and recreation areas in New Zealand are confronted with a paradox born out of visitor demand for nature experiences, a legal obligation to facilitate free access, and a growing social emphasis on health and safety. In particular, this study assesses the risk perceptions of visitors to the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers, popular tourist attractions on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island, and explores the risk perceptions and beliefs of resource management agency staff. The study also investigates the issue of risk communication at these two sites, and the degree to which existing hazard messages are successful at encouraging appropriate visitor behaviour. Pictorial hazard warning signs are introduced to the sites and their effectiveness evaluated. The findings show that many visitors (especially international visitors) have relatively poor awareness of natural hazards, and behave in ways which potentially compromise physical safety. It is argued that perceptions and behaviour are a consequence of diverse individual and situational factors including limited knowledge of the sites, beliefs about management, poor comprehension of hazard warning signs, and freedom from the normative constraints of everyday life. In contrast to visitors, managers at the glacier sites consider the risks to be significant, and, potentially, severe. It is argued that managers' perceptions of risk are influenced by several important social and site-specific factors, including their own experiences of hazards at the glaciers, perceived legal and moral obligations, the organisational culture, and impressions of high societal expectation concerning safety. The situation is further complicated by the freedom of access principle in national parks, and increasing tourist demand for nature-based experiences. These factors governed beliefs about the subject of risk. This study identifies several dimensions of risk in nature-based recreation and tourism settings. Visitors are at risk of personal accident or injury at certain tourism attractions. Awareness of hazards is limited, visitor behaviour compromises safety, and existing communication strategies are only partially effective. Risk is also apparent in the agency responsible for management of outdoor recreation areas. Site managers perceive a risk in their failure to prevent visitors from harm, whereas senior managers identify risk as primarily financial, legal, and political. Collectively, these factors demonstrate that the phenomenon of risk is increasingly important in the tourism and recreation context, and has the potential to influence significantly both management and experience of protected natural areas in New Zealand