Abstract
Increasing demands for outdoor wilderness experiences are creating a number of pressures for pristine wilderness locations, and highlighting the need for the careful management of these natural resources. New Zealand’s history of wilderness research has been centred on wilderness within National Parks, with the most recent wilderness perception research still being focused on wilderness within National Parks.
This thesis argues that, from a perceptual basis, urban-proximate locations can provide satisfactory wilderness experiences for the majority of outdoor recreationists. The provision of wilderness opportunities in urban-proximate locations provides experiences in locations that are typically more ecologically and socially resilient. Therefore, the negative impacts are typically not as detrimental as the impacts in more pristine locations, and the provision of these experiences can ameliorate some of the current negative social and environmental impacts associated with recreational use of New Zealand’s National Parks.
The Silver Peaks Scenic Reserve is an urban-proximate reserve located close to Dunedin City. The reserve is managed by the Department of Conservation under the Reserves Act 1985. Although the reserve has features that detract from its wilderness value, it is still enjoyed for its associated wilderness values (Department of Conservation, 2009; O'Sullivan, 2010). These values must be carefully managed so that the opportunities desired do not compromise the associated wilderness values.
Because of the Silver Peak’s increasing popularity and easy accessibility a range of social and environmental impacts are evident. The social impacts are in respect to the recreational users and other stakeholders. Safety is an issue within the reserve (O'Sullivan, 2010) and a number of search and rescue operations occur each year.
This study aims to identify a gradient of wilderness indicators within the reserve. This will contribute to the preservation and management of the ecological and experiential conditions of wilderness in this environment, consistent with the Department of Conservation’s planning framework for an urban-proximate reserve.
The literature review (chapter two) identifies that wilderness can be managed under a variety of planning frameworks or contexts, and that it is these frameworks that influence human interaction with the environment. A post-positivist methodology explores the wilderness gradient across the main tramping route of the Silver Peaks. The initial results are incorporated into the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum to identify experiences that are consistent with wilderness opportunities and values. The implications are discussed in terms of the management of wilderness conditions in an urban-proximate environment.
The methodology utilised within this study evolved over a number of site visits. This resulted in the final method aiming to assess the wilderness gradient over the main tramping trail of the Silver Peaks against the legal definition of New Zealand gazetted wilderness values. This method included identifying the legal wilderness criteria within New Zealand and then developing a questionnaire to assess selected sites within the reserve to access which wilderness indicators were consistent with the legal criteria, and which were compromised. The compromised indicators were developed so that they could be mapped using GIS and then analysed over the reserve.
The results indicate that the reserve presents an inconsistent wilderness experience or gradient, with some areas of the reserve holding more wilderness indicators than others. Some sections of the reserve are consistent with wilderness values, whereas others contain an array of variables that compromise wilderness indicators. The inconsistencies in wilderness indicators have the potential to compromise the experience and can contribute to an increased level of associated risk as users may perceive that the environment is safer than it actually is.
A number of compromised wilderness indicators are a result of inadequate management processes. The 1985 Draft Silver Peak Management Plan identifies that the Silver Peaks should be managed from an ecocentric viewpoint. However, the results of compromised naturalness and wilderness indicators demonstrate that the reserve is not being managed consistently with the Silver Peak management plan and is in fact being managed with an anthropocentric approach.
This report contributes to wilderness research with the suggestion that environments not considered ‘pure wilderness’ can still satisfy wilderness indicators and pose specific challenges that are inherent within this area. The majority of recreationists can have satisfactory wilderness experiences in areas that are not considered legal wilderness. This research can provide managers with direct evidence that, where carefully managed, these urban-proximate recreation experiences can minimise the negative environmental and social impacts from recreationists in pure wilderness locations elsewhere.