Story: Protected areas

Birchwood Station

Birchwood Station

In 2004 the government used the Nature Heritage Fund to purchase Birchwood Station, a 23,783-hectare high country sheep run in the Ahuriri valley, North Otago. The station filled a gap in New Zealand’s protected areas system for several reasons. It contained beautiful alpine scenery, ideal for recreation. As it was close to other conservation land, it brought government plans for a network of South Island high country reserves one step closer. And most importantly, it was a crucial breeding area for the endangered black stilt, and for several other threatened bird species such as the black-fronted tern and wrybill.

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Photograph by Gilbert van Reenen

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How to cite this page:

Les Molloy, 'Protected areas - Extending the protected areas network', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/13891/birchwood-station (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Les Molloy, published 24 Sep 2007, updated 1 Sep 2015