Spectacular forests lining the Kawatiri/Buller River, and along State Highway 6 between St Arnaud and Westport, are an opportunity to be rewilded as a new Kawatiri/Buller National River Park, Rewild Aotearoa says.

Research lead Paul Hughes said the Kawatiri/Buller National River Park rewild opportunity in the northwestern South Island includes 34,000 hectares of riparian pasture, regeneration, and native forest.

Mr Hughes said the area is already public land managed by DOC, LINZ and Councils, but suffered from limited and fragmented ecological and recreational management and protection, and needs to establish flourishing ecology and easy visitor access to realise its true potential.

"What we are seeing is a huge re-emergence of New Zealanders' interest in protecting and restoring ecology and rivers, and benefiting from accessible natural outdoors. So we think now is the time to ask politicians to establish a new Kawatiri/Buller National River Park that is accessible from State Highway 6."

Mr Hughes said it would give the "nationally significant" landscape, ecosystems and geological sites proper legal protection.

Creating our first National River Park would recognise and protect its unique and outstanding river values, he said.

"Rewilding 100km of the unique Kawatiri/Buller River landscape also helps to protect and restore SH6 travellers experience and appreciation of the spectacular views and gorges.

"It provides a unique river landscape visitor experience."

It can also provide spade-ready employment for iwi and the community in surveying, fencing, wilding willow and weed control, and nursery/planting/tending.

Mr Hughes said it was an area for all New Zealanders, as it is readily accessible from SH6.

"You can walk, boat and swim there, and you can enjoy a most scenic drive - it's a unique natural river landscape.”

“We have the opportunity to move forward with river management to embrace overall future wellbeing and ensure our rivers thrive with integrated management, as embodied in Te Mana o te Wai ,” says Mr Hughes

"It will be a shining example of mountains to the sea ecological connectivity, joining Nelson Lakes, Kahurangi and Paparoa National Parks to the sea."
 

"So we would say it's a National River Park for nature and everyone, certainly one of the most important rivers in Aotearoa."

Rewild Aotearoa

https://rewildaotearoa.org.nz

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