Typical Itinerary (part 1)
Day 1: Saturday, Dec. 18, 2004 – Depart USA
Routing Outbound LAN, DTW, LAX, AKL
Day 2: Sunday, Dec 19, 2004 - In Flight
Day 3: Monday, Dec 20, 2004 – Auckland
Known as the ‘City of Sails’, with a larger boat-to-person ratio
than anywhere else on earth, it is a paradise for sailing enthusiasts and every
weekend the waters of the Hauraki Gulf come alive with a flotilla of colorful
sails. The best way to experience the city is from the water, sailing around
the attractive harbor or on a ferry cruise to one of the many stunning islands
dotted about the Gulf. Auckland is the largest and most cosmopolitan city in
New Zealand and a major gateway to the rest of the country. Yet it is also one
of the least densely populated in the world, covering an area twice the size
of London but with barely a million inhabitants. It has a friendly small-town
atmosphere and a deliberate pace of life.
• Scheduled arrival 6:00 AM (NOTE: New Zealand is 16 hours ahead of EDT)
• Pickup rental van with luggage trailer – Matthews Car Rental Desk
• Auckland and Davenport (Climb Mt. Victoria)
• Mount Eden and Auckland Museum – Maori Exibit
Auckland Museum Situated on The Domain, an extensive central city park on one
of Auckland’s extinct volcanic hills, the Auckland Museum overlooks the city
and the attractive Waitemata Harbour. It is one of the most visited attractions
in the city housing a remarkable collection of Maori and Pacific Island artifacts
and cultural displays. Originally built as a World War I Memorial in 1929, the
building was dedicated to the memory of New Zealand victims in both World War
I and II. The ‘New Zealand at War’ exhibition has since been joined by extensive
displays about the people and the country, its cultures, art and natural history.
For many, a highlight of a visit to the museum, is the three times daily Maori
cultural performance of song and dance, providing an entertaining insight into
Maori mythology and history. Address: Domain Drive, Auckland Domain; Telephone:
(09) 309 0443; Website: http://www.aucklandmuseum.com
• Transfer Hotel
• Lodging Auckland - Kingsgate Hotel Parnell, 92-102 Gladstone Road, Parnell,
Auckland, New Zealand. tel: +64 9 377 3619 fax: +64 9 303 3716 (2 nights) Kingsgate
Hotel Parnell offers comfortable accommodation in a tranquil location, just
a short walk from the Parnell Village and it’s variety of shops and restaurants.
The hotel overlooks Auckland’s celebrated Parnell Rose Gardens and the Waitemata
Harbour. The downtown business and shopping centre are only a few minutes drive
away. http://www.nz-holiday.co.nz/kingsgate/parnell.asp
• Evening and dinner at leisure
Day 4: Tuesday, Dec 21, 2004 – Auckland
• 8:00 Breakfast
• 9:00 Departure for Waitakere Range, native brush and Kauri forest - Arataki
Visitor Center: http://www.arc.govt.nz/arc/auckland-regional-parks/arataki/
Arataki Visitor Centre in Auckland's beautiful Waitakere Ranges features breathtaking
views, and is an informative place to learn about native species. You will earn
about the environment, the regional culture and the features of the Waitakere
Ranges.
This green space is part of the metropolitan parkland system of the Auckland
region and provides an example of green space integration with long-term urban
development and growth management. We will take a guided walk on the nearby
Nature Trail at 10:00 Introduction to the vegetation of the Waitakere Ranges
(1.5 hours) by Dennis Dadan. Education Officer. The trail features both regenerating
and mature forest, with large kauri trees – the native species so important
in Maori boat building and the development of New Zealand.
• Lodging Auckland
We will walk the Nature Trail - 1.6 km long and takes about
1 ¼ hours.
Day 5: Wednesday, Dec 22, 2004 -- Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua (235km)
• 7:00 Breakfast
• 8:00 Departure
• 2:30 Agrodome - sheep industry - breeds, sheering and herd management
• Volcanic and settlement history – Museum (10:00 – 18:00) – Review the essence
of Rotorua: its people, culture and volcanic landscape. The museum contains
interactive audio-visual presentations and take an educational journey through
time to the present day. Highlights of the movie include the arrival of the
Maori people, a visit to the Pink and White Terraces (the eighth wonder of the
natural world), and the early days of the Rotorua Spa. The 1886 the eruption
of Mt Tarawera takes on a stark reality also, leaving the audience under no
illusion as to the impact of the cataclysmic explosion, the mass destruction
it caused and the huge significance the event had for both Rotorua and New Zealand
history. It also displays the spiritual world of the Arawa people (local tribe)
and their sacred treasures, the development of Rotorua as a township and the
role of famous settlers. The New Zealand Agrodome is a 160 hectare working sheep
and cattle farm with 1200 sheep and 120 beef cattle. It's farm tour gives visitors
a hands-on experience of farming and interaction with sheep, goats, cattle,
deer and baby lambs. Its sheep show highlights 19 breeds of sheep, provides
a sheep auction and sheep shearing demonstration.
Some Sheep Shearing trivia:
1. A sheep shearer shears about 400 sheep per day - 300,000 over a lifetime.
2. World Record: 720 sheep sheared in 9 hours, 1 sheep sheared in 38 seconds,
839 lambs sheared in 9 hours, 1 lamb sheared in 19.8 seconds.
3. Gangs of shearers move from farm to farm. They average 6 shearers who shear
the sheep, 4 who handle the wool, and 2 pressers who press the wool into bales
and prepare the meals.
4. The skin of a sheep doubles its thickness within 24 hours of being sheared.
Lodging Roturua – Kingsgate Hotel Rotorua (2 nights) Fenton St, Rotorua, New
Zealand tel: +64 7 348 0199 fax: +64 7 346 1973 Kingsgate Hotel
Rotorua is a low rise hotel of 136 rooms set in extensive grounds midway between
central Rotorua and the world famous Whakarewarewa Thermal area. The Hotel has
extensive leisure facilities including a heated outdoor pool, spas, sauna, tennis
court, playground, and massage therapy. The Great Kiwi Buffet is available nightly
in the restaurant, alternatively after a drink in the house bar guests - http://www.millenniumhotels.com/MCIL.nsf/LU_HOTELDOC/906$$HotelDescription?OpenDocument
Day 6: Thursday, Dec 23, 2004 – Rotorua
• 7:30 Breakfast
• 8:30 Departure
• 9:00 New Zealand Forest Biosecurity, Policy and Management, Henry Weston,
Conservator, Bay of Plenty, DDI (07) 349-7402, Mobile: 0274 483-050 – Meeting:
99 Sala St, Rotorua, Department of Conservation. The Department of Conservation
is the Government's key conservation management agency. The agency manages national
parks and other protected areas such as marine reserves, inland waters, wild
and scenic rivers, native forests, non-commercial fisheries, and native wildlife
conservation. Key legislation includes the Conservation Act, Wildlife Act, National
Parks Act and Reserves Act. The key piece of environmental legislation is the
Resource Management Act - this is administered primarily by Councils (either
District or Regional). The Ministry for the Environment advises the Government
on New Zealand's environmental laws, policies, standards and guidelines, monitors
and improves implementation.
• Afternoon - Whakarewarewa thermal reserve/Maori Arts & Crafts – 11:15
and 14:00 Cultural performance
• Lodging Roturua
Biosecurity and Science Policy
The Biosecurity and Science Policy Group examines reasons for policy interventions
and provides advice on the development and implementation of legislation impacting
on biosecurity, agricultural compounds, food safety and animal welfare.
The Biosecurity Policy team focuses on developing and maintaining policy to
protect biosecurity, monitoring the Biosecurity Act, facilitating Pest Management
Strategies, and administration systems.
The Food and Animal Welfare Policy team focuses on policy related to the safety
and quality of food and sustaining the welfare of animals. The work includes
policy on agricultural compounds and veterinary medicines.
The World Trade Organisation Sanitary and Phytosanitary (WTO SPS) Codex team
within Biosecurity Policy is responsible for providing policy advice and coordination
on international sanitary and phytosanitary issues. The team represents New
Zealand on the Codex Alimentarius Commission and relevant subsidiary bodies
and works closely with MAF Regulatory Authority (MAF RA), the Ministry of Health
(MoH) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). It is involved in
work in the WTO SPS Committee and within APEC.
The Science Policy team advises on Science Policy relevant to forestry and agriculture
and administers operational research required to develop robust policies.
New Zealand Forest Resources
INTRODUCTION
New Zealand’s forest resource, covering 29% of the total land area, can be divided
into two distinct forest types:
1. A large natural forest estate comprised of species indigenous
to New Zealand and consisting of either virgin or regenerating forest
2. An extensive but smaller forest estate, which has been planted with non-native,
coniferous species
INDIGENOUS
FOREST
New Zealand’s 6.4 million hectares of indigenous forest are located mainly in
the mountain lands, particularly on the West Coast of the South Island. The
major indigenous tree species in these complex forests are beech, kauri, rimu,
taraire and tawa. Indigenous forests harbor large numbers of unique wildlife,
of which some are classed as endangered or threatened.
Indigenous Forests - a Unique Heritage
Our indigenous forests are a key part of New Zealand’s environment and help
protect the natural values of our ecosystem. Cultural values encompass recreational,
scientific, historic and scenic dimensions. The main threats to these forests
are from introduced animals and plants, and an increasing demand for access
and recreational opportunities.
The Crown is the major indigenous forest owner. Through the Department
of Conservation it manages about 77 percent of the estate for conservation,
heritage and recreational purposes. Twenty-three percent of the estate is in
private hands. Privately owned indigenous forests are required by law to be
managed in a way that maintains their ability to provide products and amenities
in perpetuity. The Forest Act 1949 does this by:
requiring private owners to manage their forests through sustainable
management plans and permits,
controlling the indigenous timber input to sawmills, and
prohibiting indigenous woodchip and log exports.
Only around 140 thousand hectares of privately owned forests are currently considered
to be available for sustainably managed timber production. A further 145 thousand
hectares of indigenous production forest owned by Government was set aside under
the 1986 West Coast Accord - opening it up to production over a twenty year
period.
Having a large planted forest resource enables New Zealand to sustainably manage
its Crown and privately owned indigenous forest. Less than 0.1 percent of New
Zealand’s total forest production is now harvested from indigenous forests.
PLANTED FORESTS
Detailed statistics on New Zealand's forest resource can be found on the National
Exotic Forest Description page.
New Zealand has had planted production forests, of mainly softwood species,
since the early 20th century. As at present (1999) over 1.7 million hectares
of planted production forests have been established. They are:
dominated by one particular conifer, radiata pine, which accounts for 90 percent
of the total planted resource
young, with 61 percent being 15 years old or younger
fast growing - the average time to harvest is 28 years
high quality - 62 percent of the resource has been pruned
managed in recognition of the interdependence of ecological, economic and social
sustainability principles under an accord between industry and environmental
groups
Planted Forests - Establishment/Tending and Harvesting
Around 33 percent of the planted estate (but a larger proportion of mature forest
area) is situated in the Central North Island. Other major forest growing areas
include the regions:
Northland
East Coast
Hawkes Bay
Nelson and Marlborough
Otago and Southland
Note: for areas planted prior to 1991, go to the National
Exotic Forest Description.
The New Zealand Government was historically the dominant commercial forest owner
in New Zealand. It controlled in 1984 just over half of the planted resource.
However, as part of a major restructuring of New Zealand’s economy most of the
state-owned planted forests were sold to private companies. The majority of
cutting rights were purchased by international corporations. Now, in 2000, around
37% of New Zealand's planted production forests are owned or managed by two
major forestry companies (Carter Holt Harvey Ltd and Fletcher Challenge Ltd).
Seven medium sized forestry companies own a further 20% of forests. Six percent
of the forest area remains in central Government ownership, managed primarily
by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and two State-Owned Enterprises.
Local authorities own a further 3% of the area while the balance (34%) is owned
by a large number of private owners including Maori Trusts. Small private investors
and land owners continue to establish an expanding area of planted production
forests.
Continue to "Typical Itinerary (part 2)"
