New take on age old park practice
Visitors to the Abel Tasman National Park in New Zealand’s South Island may think they’re part of a modern trend with its eco friendly approach, but practicing sustainability is nothing new around here.
Wilsons Abel Tasman, the company that runs tourism ventures within the park celebrates 30 years of operation this year and says it was practicing sustainability long before it became the buzz word for modern business. With three generations of the family now involved, CEO Darryl Wilson says ''We’ve always worked to make sure we leave something of value for the next generation.''
It’s a commitment that has won the family several awards, the latest being a Queens Service Medal awarded to John Wilson for Service to Tourism, recognising the part he has played in growing the park into what is now a thriving international tourist destination. The Wilsons also won the New Zealand Tourism Awards Qualmark Mark of Quality in 2006 and a Tasman District Council Heritage Award in 2003. Both of their lodges present a personal history of settlement on the coast and the family’s commitment to preserving the cultural heritage of the region. Wilsons Abel Tasman is also a founding member of the Nelson-Tasman Sustainable Tourism Charter and the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust.
The family business began in 1977 with a single passenger launch and now offers a wide range of services including water taxis, cruises, guided walks, sea kayaking and accommodation. Thousands of national and international visitors visit Abel Tasman each year spending anything from a few hours to several days in the park.
GROWING COMMITMENT
John Wilson says it has required constant improvement and the introduction of the latest technology to grow the business without compromising the environment. Carbon neutral means much more than planting trees and recycling, say the Wilsons and many initiatives have been introduced to minimise their environmental footprint including:
• Solar panels which produce 50% of the high season and the total low season power requirements for both lodges
• upgraded Bio-active, self contained sewerage and water systems designed to minimise the impact on the park’s natural and social environment without losing the convenience and comfort of modern facilities
• Low impact technique developed in New Zealand used to upgrade accommodation at Meadowbank, the replica of the family’s ancestral home at Awaroa with timbers milled from renewable forests
• Organic and biodegradable cleaning systems
• Food sources locally from organic and environmentally responsible suppliers
• Lodge operations designed to minimise waste. All rubbish taken out of the Park to community recycling and refuse stations
• Itineraries, luggage transfers and lodge supply deliveries designed to use scheduled transport services
• All group departures follow strict Dept. of Conservation guidelines. Small groups and highly trained guides encourage environmental conservation. Operations and services designed to minimise any negative impact on local communities
• Encouraging regeneration of the natural forest through pest control and replanting initiatives.
Mr Wilson says, when the family business started 30 years ago, Abel Tasman National Park was unknown to visitors to the top of the South Island. ''Our marketing of the area has been so successful our main focus now is on managing our impact on the environment.''
For more information on environmental initiatives at the Abel Tasman National Park please visit the website listed in links below.
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