Management and economic aspects of the development of pakihi

The West Coast of the South Island occupies almost 10 percent of the total area of New Zealand and covers the counties of Buller, Inangahua, Grey and Westland. Only 14 per cent of the total area of the region is occupied, the remaining 86 percent being largely Crown land, in the form of precipitous mountains, scenic reserves and indigenous forests. Historically the regional economy has been based on gold, coal and timber. Gold has ceased to be of any significance. Coal mining, although an important and successful industry for many years, has felt the effected of competition from alternative sources of power and heat, and from coal produced more economically in areas closer to existing markets. Timber production has been curtailed in order that there can be conservation of the millable indigenous forests and eventually production on a sustained yield basis. Overall the decreasing demand for coal and the curtailed timber production have adversely affected regional development. Chapter I describes the physical characteristics of the West Coast region and more specifically Buller County. Although pakihi land is scattered throughout the West Coast the results of this study refer specifically to the Addison pakihi, surrounding Westport. Chapter II describes in detail the research which has been conducted on the pakihi lands since the beginning of the century. The principles and problems of management of pakihi for sheep farming are discussed in Chapter III. Criteria for farm development evaluation are critically reviewed in Chapter IV, while in Chapter V the development analysis is presented. Conclusions are stated in Chapter VI