Tongariro National Park, New Zealand

established on September 23rd, 1887 and is located on the center of New Zealand’s North Island. Tongariro has a very diverse natural landscape with multiple active volcanos and large mountain ranges within its 796-sqaure-kilometer boundary. Tongariro is the oldest national park in New Zealand and has been deemed a world heritage site by UNESCO in recognition of Maori culture and spiritual signifi cance. Maori are the indigenous people of New Zealand and Mount Tongariro was revered as their divine ancestor. In addition to being a spiritual symbol, Mount Tongariro is one of the three active volcanos that can be found in Tongariro; the other two being Mount Ruapehu and Mount Ngauruhoe. Mount Ruapehu is the highest of the three volcanos, standing at 2,797 meters tall, followed by Mount Ngauruhoe at 2,291 meters, and Mount Tongariro is the smallest at 1,978 meters. Natural hot springs and many lakes dominate the landscape in addition to the three loaming volcanos. In addition to the cultural and natural importance, Tongariro reports the most visitors per year when compared to other National Parks in New Zealand. The diverse ecosystem and landscapes create a wide variety of recreational activities in the area. Elevations range from 2,797 meters at the highest point and 567 meters at the lowest elevation resulting in incredible hikes, sights, and adventures for recreationists. Recreational activities that can be enjoyed include skiing, hiking, mountain biking and camping. The most popular hike for locals and tourist is the Tongariro Alpine Crossing which takes travelers through ancient lava fl ows and glacial valleys during the 19km trek. During the winter, skiing is the primary recreational activity as the park host a variety of downhill ski hills and may cross country skiing paths so options are plentiful. An additional claim to fame for the national park is that the area was home to several diff erent fi lming locations that were used in making the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Specifi cally, Mount Ngauruhoe was the fi lming location for multiple Mount Doom scenes and the surrounding area was used for a variety of Mordor scenes as well. The Nature Conservancy has mapped out the coordinates of the fi lming locations so that recreationist and ultimate Lord of the Rings fans have the opportunity to hike to these famous locations. The diverse landscape creates a variety of unique ecosystems that range from high alpine rocky terrain to temperature broadleaf forests. The volcanic activity has resulted in a largely desolate ecosystems near the three active volcanos. The forests, however, are home to a variety of diff erent endangered birds, vegetation, and bats. Tongariro National Park contains more than 56 bird species-many of which are endangered include kiwi birds, blue ducks, and New Zealand Falcons. There is also a large variety of fauna including orchids, ferns, and lichens that dominate the broadleaf rainforest while buttercups and lichens are dominant in higher elevations. Unfortunately, many invasive species that have taken over the park forcing the population of native species into dangerously low numbers. Native species populations are at signifi cant risk but current management practices aim to reduce the populations of invasive red deer, rats, goats, and cats. Tongariro National Park is simultaneously unique, popular, and diffi cult to manage, and the current goal is to fi nd a balance between health of the ecosystem and keeping the park open for recreationists. Maintaining and educating tourists and locals about Tongariro Maori culture and endangered native species ecological habitat is essential for the continued goal of conservation.