LINCOLN UNIVERSITY

ReeftonRecreation Opportunity Spectrum and Limits

of Acceptable Change

Tracy Mezger

6/4/2013

Table of Contents

Introduction........................................................................................................pg 1

Recreation Opportunity Spectrum

Zone I – Urban...................................................................................................pg 2

Setting....................................................................................................pg 2

Activity and Experience.........................................................................pg 2

Zone II – Roaded Natural..................................................................................pg 3

Setting....................................................................................................pg 3

Activity and Experience.........................................................................pg 4

Zone III – Semi-primitive, Non-motorised........................................................pg 5

Setting....................................................................................................pg 5

Activity and Experience.........................................................................pg 7

Limits of Acceptable Change

Managerial Indicators........................................................................................pg 9

Social Indicators................................................................................................pg 10

Ecological Indicators.........................................................................................pg 11

Conclusion.........................................................................................................pg 14

Introduction

Reefton is located on the West Coast of New Zealand's South island with a

population of approximately 950 people (NewZealand.com). The town is commonly

referred to as the “town of light” because it was the first town in the Southern

Hemisphere to light up an entire street with electricity, and is also known as an old

mining town. Reefton is commonly accessed through State Highway 69 as well as

Highway 7. It is a central hub of state highway access into the Coast, north from

Murchison, Nelson and Blenheim and east from Christchurch (Reefton Tourism, 2012).

The town was originally founded from a rush of people heading towards the west coast

because of the gold bearing quartz in the region (Reefton Tourism, 2012). The Victoria

Conservation Park surrounds the town, which is New Zealand’s largest park of its kind,

and the Inangahua River runs alongside the town as well (Reefton Tourism, 2012).

Mining has recently become dominant in the area again, beginning in 2008. The town has

many different options for tourists who wish to stay overnight, offering over 300 spaces

in hotels, backpackers and other types of accommodation (Reefton Tourism, 2012). While

Reefton is primarily known for mining, its history makes it a popular location for all

types of tourists. Because the Inangahua River and Victoria Conservation Park surround

the area, the diversity of activities can meet all tourist needs. Today, there are many tracks

that lead to mining sites for tourists, although most of them must be accessed during an

overnight trek. Overall, the area provides a broad range of recreational activities for

tourists.

Zone I – Urban

Setting

The urban zone, or the town of Reefton, is located approximately 80 kilometres

Northeast of Greymouth on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. The zone is

marked by the Inanguahua River as its West boundary, Grey Road as its South boundary,

much of Burkes Road as the East boundary, and a combination of tracks and Highway 69

round the boundary off. Because it is the only inland town between Greymouth and

Nelson, it often catches overnight visitors on their West Coast road trip. This zone can be

accessed through State Highway 7 as well as State Highway 69 and several other smaller

roads. It is located among a native beech forest reserve between the Victoria and Paproa

ranges and in the valley of the Inanguahua River (Reefton Tourism, 2012). It is also

surrounded by Victoria Conservation Park, which is New Zealand’s largest park of its

kind (Reefton Tourism, 2012). The level of visitors is moderate to high, often depending

on the weather and time of year. There are generally more visitors in the summer months

(Reefton Tourism, 2012). There are many facilities in the area for visitors, including

toilets, vehicles, shops and supermarkets, allowing for many managerial activities

(Reefton Tourism, 2012). These opportunities include providing accommodation for

visitors. There are several hotels, backpackers and bed and breakfasts in order to satisfy

different budgets (Reefton Tourism, 2012). The urban area also has Department of

Conservation (DOC) sites and campgrounds for those staying outdoors (Reefton Tourism,

2012). Most visitors staying in the urban area of Reefton are looking for a low-risk

experience, and have no problem with coming into contact with many other tourists.

Activity and Experience

There are a range of activities—hunting, golf, mountain biking, kayaking, walks

and tramps, fishing, swimming and even a cinema for those interested in more of a

relaxing environment. Because Reefton is surrounded by conservation area, there are

many opportunities for hunting, although it does require a hunting licence. Luckily, a

visitor centre is present to aid in the process of acquiring a license. In addition, there are

many trails surrounding Reefton itself, allowing for tramping and multiple mountain

biking opportunities. There are four tracks that can be accessed, including the Big River,

Kirwans Track, Reefton Lookout and Waitahu Valley/Murray Creek. Most of the tracks

allow for one day, and they have a wide range of grades. There are a variety of distances

as well. In addition to mountain biking, Reefton offers a couple opportunities for golfing.

This is more prevalent in the summer months whenever the weather is cooperative. There

are three golf courses in the area: Reefton Golf Course, Ikamatua Golf Course and

Caledonian Creek Golf Course. While Caledonian Creek is a small drive from the town,

it is known as one of the most unique courses in New Zealand.

Kayaking is available in Reefton as well, on the Inangahua River and the Upper

Grey River. There are four different grades ranging from 2-5, depending on the level of

risk tourists are seeking. Most options allow for entering the water and finishing the

kayak trip in Reefton. Aside from outdoor activities, Reefton also has a cinema and a

museum. The cinema shows new arrivals once a week on Saturday nights. The museum,

known as Black’s Point Museum, is located two kilometres from Reefton and dates back

to 1876. It records the way of life in a mining town as well as featuring school records,

cemetery records, town directories, historical photos, artefacts, family tress, books and

mining memorabilia.

Zone II - Roaded Natural

Setting

Zone II is an area of approximately 130 km² located in the south western corner of

the Reefton map. As far as physical attributes go the area has been modified with several

roads including highway 7 to allow access to motorized vehicles and parking is available

in multiple locations. The area also boasts a vast array of hiking, walking, and biking

trails. The zone also supports several areas that have multiple mines. For the most part the

zone appears predominantly natural, with untouched landscape dominating the majority

of the area (West Coast, 2013). The area includes two major rivers, the Inangahua River

and the Waitahu River.

The social attributes of the area vary from isolated backpacking tracks to areas

along the highway that are frequented by tourists. The area’s that have the highest

numbers of visitors include the campgrounds and day visit areas, where during peak

season moderate contact with other tourists is expected. The parts of the zone that provide

backpacking and overnight trips can be very isolated and even during peak season do not

have an abundance of visiting tourists (Reefton Tourism, 2012).

The managerial attributes of the area include a wide range of roads providing

convince, comfort, and safety. These roads range from a major highway to small paved

roads such as Garvey’s creek road that leads through the mountains to a small mining

area (West Coast, 2013). The area also has an abundant amount of sign posting and

information areas for tourists to gain an understanding of an area as well as mark trails

and explain rules and regulations. These signs are put up and maintained most often by

the DOC (West Coast, 2013). The managerial duties of the area are very small due to the

areas non-existent campground and hut facilities.

The area faces potential threats mostly dealing with physical aspects such as fire

threats as well as pest and weed management. The DOC has very strict fire bans in place

throughout the zone and has posted signs explaining the serious danger of potential wild

fires. The area also faces pest’s problems such as possums which are having an effect on

the natural ecosystem of the area; this plays a role in making the area less ideal and

enjoyable for visitors (West Coast, 2013). The current positive status of the areas

landscape and wildlife means the DOC maintains the area and deals managerially with

potential problems and threats in a very effective way.

Activity and Experience

The area provides a range of activities to potential tourists and visitors. The area

contains multiple walking tracks which provide gentle walking that lasts from a few

minutes to a day; this type of activity is great for families and people that are not looking

for physically demanding activities (Reefton Tourism, 2012). The area also provides

tramping tracks for the most experienced and physically fit individuals who are looking

for a bit more of an isolated and risk taking adventure. There are also multiple mountain

bike trails that provide the chance to mountain bike on intermediate to advanced trails

that range in distance (West Coast, 2013). The area also has day spending areas such as

Stab Hut Creek, where visitors are provided with picnic tables and toilets. This type of

area is frequented during peak season (Reefton Tourism, 2012). The area does not

provide any huts or camping grounds for visitors.

Water activities are available on the areas Waitahu River and Inangahua River.

These activities include kayaking, river rafting, and fishing (Reefton Tourism, 2012).

There is also fishing opportunities in some of the areas smaller areas of water as well as

open hunting permit areas near the southern part of the Inangahua River. With the vast

array of activities available the area is popular to short stop travellers as well as day

visitors but due to lack of overnight tracks and camping areas is not frequented by

backcountry adventurers or overnighters. The experience that can be expected from the

area depends on the type of activity is engaged in and varies from visitor to visitor.

For the most part the area provides opportunities that would provide visitors with

the experiences of a beautiful landscape and day of sightseeing (Reefton Tourism, 2012).

Visitors can expect a very isolated and wilderness experience very short from the roaded

areas. Visitors who wish to have a more social experience can visit plotted picnic areas

where handfuls of other visitors can be expected to be during peak seasons. The type of

experience that a thrill seeking visitor would be after would not be found in this zone,

other than for small parts of the rapids where kayaking and river rafting can be dangerous

(West Coast, 2013). Visitors can also get a historic experience from visiting old mining

areas and getting a feel for the history of the area. Potential activities for the area would

include campsites to promote the overnight stay of visitors. The area could also attempt to

add a track or extend a current track to provide visitors with a multi-day tramping trail.

Zone III - Semi-primitive, Non-motorised

Setting

The land this zone encompasses a smaller stretch of the vast Victoria Forest Park.

It is most accessible by tracks from the east and west, many of which date from the

mining days of nearby town of Reefton (West Coast, 2013). The boundary of Zone 3

begins less than a kilometre from the rural part of Reefton and follows the Waitahu River

southeast for about 11 kilometres until it hits the Montgomerie Hut where the boundary

shifts east following the Montgomerie River. Following the river northwest, the boundary

continues along Wheel Creek until it collides with Maruia River. The boundary leads

north for about 6 kilometres and trails west back towards Reefton along Scotty Creek

which turns into Awarau River.

The area totals approximately 170 km^2. We have defined this area as a semi-

primitive non-motorised area, meaning all trails are primitive or cross-country and only

accessible by foot or bike. There is low probability of seeing other visitors in this zone

and the environment appears to be in its natural state. This zone is preferred by those

seeking solitude (Recreation Opportunity, n.d.). The only man-made change in this area

are the 3 huts included in this zone; Kirwans Hut and Montgomerie Hut, and Wheel

Creek Hut. Kirwans Hut is serviced by DOC and accommodates 12 people per night.

Montgomerie Hut and Wheel Creek Hut are also serviced by DOC and can accommodate

6 people per night.

Mt. Victoria is the highest point in the forest park reaching 1640 meters. Victoria

Forest Park includes the Victoria and Brunner Ranges made up of greywacke and argillite

rocks that have been folded from the nearby reverse fault line; the abundant amount of

minerals in these gold-bearing rocks is what fuelled past and present mining in the area

(West Coast, 2013). The fault has also contributed to the formation of steep topography,

making the park great for advanced tramping and biking. The forest is made up of both

native and exotic plant species. Native coniferous forest is made up mostly of a variety of

Beech trees. They are quick growing trees and have aggressively regenerated in areas that

had been cleared for mining in the 1970s (Adventure Activities, n.d.). The forest is also

home to many native bird species such as the tui, bellbird, tomtit and robin, and can be

seen and heard throughout the year (West Coast, 2013).

Potential threats may include possums who contribute to a large amount of

damage to native species by competing with native animals and birds for food and

damage trees. Land clearance is also a major threat, as it has contributed to major

reduction in the size of beech forests. Limits for beech trees to regenerate have further

been restricted due to introduced grazing animals such as sheep and deer. Forest fire is

always a concern, but is consistently monitored by DOC. (West Coast, 2013) The natural

features of the area are valuable to visitors and conservation management, and could be

threatened by potential overuse and recreational exploitation of the land. As this area is

managed for wildlife, these threats are very important when considering conservation and

visitor management strategies.

The walking trails range from day tramps requiring beginner skills and moderate

fitness levels to expert backcountry tramps, requiring previous experience and good

fitness as well as offering physical and mental challenges. Wilderness mountain biking

tracks are also accessible in this zone and cater to all skill levels. The tracks are single

tracks and are generally not maintained, meaning they can be muddy and rocky

depending on the changing environment and amount of visitor use. The more technical

backcountry tracks require some walking (West Coast, 2013). Tracks lead to huts, mines,

and rivers allowing a variety of recreational opportunities within the area.

Activity and Experience

There are a variety of tracks and tramps available to visitors in zone 3, many of

which lead to stunning landscapes, rivers, and unspoiled beech forest. It is the perfect

environment for recreational experiences and wildlife viewing. A popular tramp is the

Kirwans track, which leads to the Kirwans Reward mine (Reefton Tourism, 2013). In

addition, mountain biking is a common activity. Most mountain biking tracks are

accessed out of Reefton. They range from short days trips to overnight wilderness biking.

There is opportunities for beginners as well as expert level bikers. The tracks are mostly

single and rocky, but some are gravel and wider. A popular track out of Reefton is the

Kirwans Track. It is grade 5, meaning expert skills are required. It is 14 km one way and

starts at the Capleston car park at the end of Boatmans road. The track gains about 1000

meters and ends at the Kirwans Hut. The Kirwans track links up the Waitahu Valley track.

The Waitahu track is grade 2, and requires an intermediate level of skill. The track starts

at Gannons point and is 7 kilometres one way, ending at Montgomerie Hut (Reefton

Tourism, 2012).

There are two opportunities within the park for kayaking. The Maruia River has

Grade 1, 2 and 3 rapids. It can be a long day trip through the forest. Waitahu River has

Grade 2 runs during higher flows (Reefton Tourism, 2012). Although some guided kayak

trips and rafting trip are available in Victoria Forest Park, none are available in this zone.

Fishing opportunities are readily available within the zone as well. North of

Reefton, the Waitahu River is a low to medium flowing shallow river and is known for its

brown and rainbow trout (Reefton Tourism, 2012). The season for fishing is 1 October

through the 30 April. Visitors may only take 2 fish, but with no size limit (West Coast

Region, n.d.). In addition to fishing, hunting is permitted throughout the zone. Red deer,

fallon deer, pigs and chamois are species that can be hunted in the forest park. There is no

bag limit or specific season for hunting. (Reefton Tourism, 2012) Back country fishing

and hunting licenses can be purchased through NZ Fish and Game (New Zealand Fishing

Rules and Regulations, n.d.).

Mining is also a popular activity in zone III, but must be carried out in designated

sites. When gold-fossicking recreationally at designated sites, visitors are not required to

get permission from the Department of Conservation. Any non-minimum impact

activities on public land, including prospecting and mining, are required to apply for a

Crown Minerals Act permit as well as permission from the Department of Conservation

(West Coast, 2013). Mines accessible to visitors include Lone Star Mine, Just in Time

Mine, Welcome Mine, and Kirwans Reward Mine.

These types of activities are ideal for day visitors, overnighters, back country

comfort seekers, back country adventurers, remote seekers and thrill seekers. The semi-

primitive non-motorised zone offers natural landscapes and a great sense of freedom. As

there are many recreational opportunities, many are interrelated and can serve as

alternatives when some locations are closed.

People can find information about all of these activities through DOC online or

office in Reefton. Alerts about closed tracks and huts in the Greymouth area are updated

online and visitors can receive more information at the DOC office. Often reasons for

track closing are damage to track from slips and washouts. DOC strictly enforces that

visitors be responsible for their own safety while recreating in the park. It is best to plan

ahead by checking alerts, weather updates, and gathering permits and maps beforehand

(West Coast, 2013).

Limits of Acceptable Change

Zone III – Semi-primitive, Non-motorised

Managerial Indicators

We can use the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) model to help determine a

point that social, environmental, and managerial change is unacceptable. This is based on

the values of both community interest and stakeholders involved. Management and

planning also needs to reflect the range of values and experiences sought by the public

recreationists, which can be identified by indicators of change.

Managerial attributes consist of amount type and visibility of rules and personnel

apparent to visitors. Currently, Zone III – semi-primitive, non-motorised, is managed for

wildlife and a natural environmental setting. In order to maintain this objective,

management uses ecological and social indicators of change to adapt and mitigate

impacts on setting. The LAC framework is useful to management as it sets up measurable

standards of impact.

Although there are a variety of recreational activities available for all visitor skill

levels, there is no limit to the number of visitors in the park. The huts have a capacity, and

once they are full visitors must find alternatives such as camping. Hut usage and

popularity can be a managerial indicator of change.

Strategies ensuring the values of natural setting include development and

regulation. In Zone III, structures can be seen although they are rare and isolated. They

offer facilities such as beds and toilets. These facilities help protect natural resources and

the safety of visitors. There is also minimal on-site regulation and mostly enforced by

DOC staff. Most people will find regulations and alerts from the office in town, not in the

wilderness.

Evidence of a specific conservation management plan is minimal in this zone.

DOC provides a West Coast Conservation Management strategy (CMS), published in

2010. The CMS outlines the Department of Conservation's intentions “for the integrated

management of natural and physical resources located within the West Coast Tai Poutini

Conservancy over the next 10 years.” (West Coast, 2013) The management strategy is

broken up into 6 parts which include: an introduction of CMS and how to use it, the

context of current the current state of the area, management objectives and policies,

desired outcomes in both general and specific areas through implementing objectives and

policies, and lastly, monitoring the implementation of the next 10 years (West Coast,

2013). Outcomes for the Victoria Forest Park area include keeping it a remote back

country zone (Victoria Forest Park, n.d.). There is also a list of activity codes provided by

DOC that informs visitors how to minimise their impact on the environment when

participating in recreational and tourist activities (West Coast, 2013). Whether or not

visitors decide to brief themselves on the codes is up to them.

Managerial monitoring can be carried out on the trail and from visitor feedback.

Consistent research and monitoring is necessary to understand the managerial, ecological

and social impacts in the area and further create efficient management objectives and

strategies. Zoning areas with the ROS model helps LAC further manage areas for the

valued resources. Zoning also helps visitors properly choose their park activities. Zoning

an area as semi-primitive and non-motorised will sort people with similar values and

behaviours, decreasing the chance of conflict. This also helps visitors have the experience

they are seeking.

Social Indicators

A social indicator for Zone III in Reefton is the number of people others see while

on walking and biking tramps. Because this zone is semi-primitive, non-motorised,

tourists and backpackers are going here to slip away from people. They do not want to be

bothered by seeing lots of people every day. They want to get more in touch with nature

in peace and quiet while enjoying the beauty of Victoria Conservation Park. Seeing many

people throughout the day would degrade the experience these visitors are looking for.

A good standard for the indicator would be greater than five people per day,

unless they are staying at one of the Huts offered on the trail. If there were more people

than this on the trail, it would limit the ability of the tourists to enjoy nature and the

beauty of Victoria Conservation Park. This would be very reasonable because most of

these tracks are longer and take multiple days, and they cannot be accessed by vehicle.

In order to evaluate the standards, the visitors taking advantage of the huts on the

trails could take a survey indicating their satisfaction of the amount of people they

encountered. Guide companies that lead people on the trails could also contribute to the

research by answering questions regarding the number of people they encounter. The

surveying and research would need to be analysed on a regular basis to ensure numbers

are down in order to accommodate the need for isolation. This would be a never-ending

process.

If this standard is breached, the Department of Conservation could develop ways

in order to keep the amount of people entering this zone at a minimum. They could begin

to monitor how many people per day go on the trail. They could also begin charging a

fee, which would keep the amount of people at a minimum because most do not wish to

pay to go hiking.

Ecological Indicators

There are multiple ecological indicators of change that can be used to decide the

degree to which recreation is affecting the area. The major indicators for this particular

zone are: wear on tracks and trails, litter, and effects on wildlife activity. Each of these are

indicators that should be kept track of in accordance to the overall amount of visiting

tourists to determine whether the amount of recreationists to the area are having a

negative effect on the ecological well-being.

The wear on tracks and huts is an indicator that can be easily seen and is a result

of over use of the area. If the total number of people visiting and using the area’s tracks

(both biking and tramping) and huts becomes too overwhelming the area as a hole may

suffer. The effects that over use of the tracks and trails have on the area are vast. A key

indicator that the visitation of the area has reached a dangerous level is when the

increased foot or bike traffic has begun to cause damage to local vegetation. This

destruction of vegetation and wearing out of trails and hut facilities has a directly

negative impact on the overall recreation experience as well. People who come to this

particular area are seeking the novel feeling of untouched wilderness and the sense of

isolation, which is threatened by extreme amounts of visitors.

The over use of an area by recreationists also has the very evident problem of an

increase of litter and waste. This is an issue that increases directly in proportion to an

increase in human traffic. The more visitors there are, the more potential risk there is for

litter and waste issues. This has detrimental effects on the local area’s delicate ecological

balance, as the litter and waste are clearly not part of the natural environment. This of

course also has a negative effect on the areas overall experience for visitors as the

presence of litter and waste takes greatly away from the outdoors experience that visitors

are seeking. When garbage and waste become an issue in the area it is a strong indicator

that the area itself is being over used, or that proper measures of enforcement and

education have not been taken.

For this particular zone due to its primitive nature and remoteness, the overall use

of recreationists should be relatively limited. For this reason the effect that visitors due

have on local wildlife should be very minimal. If the area does experience an over uses

by recreationists the wildlife activity would be a key ecological indicator that change

needs to be made. If the habits and activities of local animals has to change to adjust to

the over use of the area, the use of recreationists has more than likely reached a negative

level.

In order to properly keep track of these indicators, standards must be set and kept

track of. Each of the three specific ecological indicators should have a set specific

threshold of acceptance and if that standard is broken the DOC must adjust its

management efforts. First off, the wear on tracks should be carefully evaluated

periodically to ensure that the vegetation around the tracks is not suffering in monumental

ways. The area should be evaluated to determine a standard for the amount of acceptable

litter and waste. And finally, the wildlife’s activities should be loosely monitored to make

sure that an excessive amount of use by recreationists is not deterring the animals from

areas that are there natural habitats.

The DOC should determine the specific standards for tracking the above

indicators and adjust management efforts accordingly. They should determine the specific

acceptable standards by surveying visitors to the area. They should also go to the area and

make observations of the overall ecological well-being. If the ecological indicators do

breech the standard the DOC should increase its efforts to enforce the responsible use of

the area as well as raise awareness as to detrimental effects that the misuse of the area

may have. To deal with overall demand of the area being simply to high the DOC could

adjust by adding more tracks in different areas of the zone in an attempt to disperse the

recreationists and visitors to the area.

Conclusion

After social, ecological, and managerial analysis of the zones of Reefton we are

able to discuss current conditions and recreational aspects of the area under the

Recreation Opportunity Spectrum. Taking into account the values of the community and

the environment, more rational decisions can be made, maximising the benefits of the

Reefton setting. Rather than prescribing carrying capacity numbers, we can approach

management with the Limits of Acceptable Change framework. It is essential to identify

the opportunities and issues concerning tourists, locals, and stakeholders as well as the

capacity of the land to supply these opportunities. Further monitoring and allocation of

alternatives is efficient and effective, and this framework allows for modification. We can

conclude that the Reefton setting is ideal for many types of tourists, recreationists, and

experiences.

References

Adventure Activities ~ Reefton, New Zealand. (n.d.). Quartzopolis Birds Trees Comments. Retrieved from http://quartzopolis.co.nz/birds-and-bush/

Reefton Tourism. (2012). Reefton Visitors Center. Retrieved May 25, 2013, from http://www.reefton.co.nz/

West coast. (2013). Department of Conservation. Retrieved May 20, 2013, from http://www.doc.govt.nz/

Recreation Opportunity. (n.d.). Appendix C. Retrieved from http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/beig/beig6c.htm

Victoria Forest Park - New Zealands Great Outdoors. (n.d.). Victoria Forest Park - New Zealands Great Outdoors. Retrieved from http://www.newzealandnz.co.nz/forest-parks/victoria.html

New Zealand Fishing Rules and Regulations. (n.d.). New Zealand Trout Fishing Regulations-salmon Regulations-nzfishing. Retrieved from http://www.nzfishing.com/Regulations/Regulations.htm

West Coast Region. (n.d.). West Coast Region NZ Fish and Game. Retrieved from http://westcoast.fishandgame.org.nz/