Ahuriri Conservation Park
Protected area in Canterbury, New Zealand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ahuriri Conservation Park is a protected area of 49,000 hectares including tussock grasslands, forest, and river habitat, located in Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand, and centred around the headwaters of the Ahuriri River.[1][2]
| Ahuriri Conservation Park | |
|---|---|
Ahuriri Valley, as viewed from Omarama | |
.png)  Ahuriri Conservation Park | |
| Location | Canterbury Region, New Zealand |
| Nearest city | Christchurch |
| Coordinates | 44°20′S 169°40′E |
| Area | 49 hectares (120 acres) |
| Established | 2004 |
| Governing body | Department of Conservation |
The park includes trails and huts.[3][4][5] The mountains, forests, tussock lands and river valleys are used for tramping, fishing kayaking, horse riding and hunting.[6]
Both the park and neighbouring Ben Avon Station are located near the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve, a dark-sky preserve, and are used for astronomy.[7]
History
The park was established in 2005, and includes the Birchwood Station leasehold farm the New Zealand Government bought back for NZ$10 million in 2004. It contained extensive wetlands that had remained largely undeveloped.[10] Birchwood Station continued normal farming operations until the end of the leasehold in 2010.[11]
The road to the former Birchwood Station homestead stopped being regularly maintained by Waitaki District Council in 2011.[12]
In 2014, ecologist Peter Espie reported a decrease in native plant species in the park, and suggested introducing grazing management.[13]
Parts of the 2020 Disney film Mulan were filmed in the Ahuriri Valley near the conservation park, including the training camp scenes and some battle scenes.[14]