Tongariro National Park. North Is. New Zealand.
S 39° 12.080 E 175° 32.401
60H E 373933 N 5659865
Quick Description: Established in 1887, Tongariro was the first national park in New Zealand and the fourth in the world. It is also a dual World Heritage area, a status which recognises the park's important Maori cultural and spiritual associations as well as its outstanding volcanic features.
Location: New Zealand
Date Posted: 8/28/2008 4:04:03 PM
Waymark Code: WM4HZG
Views: 109
Long Description:Tongariro was nominated both natural and cultural World Heritage
status in 1990 and was inscribed on the heritage list that year for
its natural values. The World Heritage Committee added an
additional criteria and in 1993 Tongariro National Park became the
first World Heritage site to be added to the World Heritage list
for its associative cultural values. To Ngati Tuwharetoa and Ngati
Rangi the mountains of Tongariro have always been regarded as
spiritual and cultural entities.
The three andesitic volcanoes at the heart of the park - the
mountains Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu form the southern limits
of the Taupo Volcanic Zone. Volcanic activity in the zone started
about 2 million years ago and is on-going today. Ruapehu and
Ngauruhoe are two of the most active composite volcanoes in the
world. Recently, in 1995 and again in 1996 Ruapehu has erupted in
spectacular fashion sending clouds of ash and steam skyward and
mantling the surrounding snow fields and forest with a thick film
of ash.
It is a land of strong contrasts. Chaotic, barren lava flows,
winter snowfields, hot springs and active craters can be seen side
by side. Its plants too vary considerably, from alpine herbs to
thick swathes of tussocks and flax, from the hardy, low-growing
shrubs of the Rangipo gravel-field to dense beech forests. It is a
harsh environment for plants; poor pumice soils and volcanic
activity slows the development of diverse forests yet some pockets
of magnificent podocarp forest can be found. They survived the
eruption of Lake Taupo (1800 years ago) because they were sheltered
on southwest slopes of Ruapehu.
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is a world-renowned trek. It is
rated as the best one day trek in New Zealand and listed by many in
the top 10 day treks in the world.