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Westland National Park
 
There are few places left on earth like Westland National Park where such a complete cross-section of landscapes from the tops of the highest mountains right down to the sea is still in a near wilderness state.

Such a range of habitats and altitude variation makes an impressive sanctuary for New Zealand's diminishing native flora and fauna. Outstanding scenery and the waters of the lake are so calm as to fully reflect all the snow-clad mountains and rainforest.

New Zealand is an old land with a young landscape - a paradox that is nowhere truer than in this region.

Amongst the oldest sedimentary rocks are the greywackes which outcrop near Lake Mapourika and in the Omoeroa Range; these probably date from the early Palaeozoic era, more than 500 million years ago. Although laid down as sediments under the sea, they were derived by erosion of neighbouring land. This was the ancient continent of Gondwanaland; a single landmass made up of the present continents of Australia, Antarctica, South America, Africa, and India.

The Southern Alps

The Southern Alps are composed of schist and greywackes laid down as sediments mostly during the Permian and Triassic periods, but they were thrust up into high mountains only during the last 5 million years and are thereby one of the youngest large mountain ranges in the world. Most of the surface features of the landscape, especially the mountain cirques and valleys and the lowland moraines and lakes, were moulded during the last major advance of the glaciers which ended about 14000 years ago.

Westland National Park safeguards for all time a place where nature can carry on her great dramas uninterrupted by man's heavy hand, where scientists can unravel the evolution of the landforms and plant and animal life, and where the wider public can enter freely to find inspiration and enjoyment in a wild and undisturbed natural world.

Conservation Care Code - 10 point checklist
1. Protect Plants and Animals
Treat New Zealand's forest and birds with care and respect. They are unique and often rare.
2. Remove Rubbish
Litter is unattractive, harmful to wildlife and can increase vermin and disease. Plan your visits to reduce rubbish, and carry out what you carry in.
3. Bury Toilet Waste
In areas without toilet facilities; bury your toilet waste in a shallow hole well away from waterways, tracks, campsites and huts.
4. Keep Streams and Lakes Clean
When cleaning and washing, take the water and wash well away from the water source. Because soaps and detergents are harmful to water-life, drain used water into the soil to allow it to be filtered. If you suspect the water may be contaminated, either boil it for at least 3 minutes, or filter it, or chemically treat it.
5. Take Care With Fires
Portable fuel stoves are less harmful to the environment and are more efficient than fires. If you do use a fire, keep it small, use only dead wood and make sure it is out by dousing it with water and checking the ashes before leaving.
6. Camp Carefully
When camping, leave no trace of your visit.
7. Keep to the Track
By keeping to the track, where one exists, you lessen the chance of damaging fragile plants.
8. Consider Others
People visit the backcountry and rural areas for many reasons. Be considerate of other visitors who also have a right to enjoy the natural environment.
9. Respect Our Cultural Heritage
Many places in New Zealand have a spiritual and historical significance. Treat these places with consideration and respect.
10. Enjoy Your Visit!
Enjoy your outdoor experience. Take a last look before leaving an area; will the next visitor know that you have been there? Protect the environment for your own sake, for the sake of those who come after you, and for the environment itself.
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