Places of natural beauty in New Zealand - Реферат

Places of natural beauty in New Zealand What makes New Zealands natural heritage so special? Youll find a variety of awesome landscapes in New Zealand, all within easy reach of each other. Spectacular glaciers, picturesque fiords, rugged mountains, vast plains, rolling hillsides, subtropical forest, volcanic plateau, miles of coastline with gorgeous sandy beaches - it’s all here. No wonder New Zealand is becoming so popular as a location for movies Underlying New Zealands physical attractions - its dramatic mountains, unpolluted beaches and green countryside - is an epic survival story of unique plants and animals. Cast adrift from the ancient supercontinent of Gondwanaland, these ancient species evolved in isolation and struggled to survive in what renowned naturalist David Bellamy has called ‘Moas Ark’ (named after New Zealands native, but now extinct, giant flightless bird, the moa). After only 1000 years of human settlement New Zealand has lost many native species. But impressive gains have been made in recent times to protect and enhance what is left. These include removing introduced pests from island wildlife sanctuaries, the establishment of 13 national parks, three maritime parks, two world heritage areas, hundreds of nature reserves and ecological areas, a network of marine reserves and wetlands, and protection for special rivers and lakes. In total, around 30 percent of New Zealands land area is protected conservation land. In addition, research and management programmes have been introduced to aid the recovery of rare and endangered species like kakapo, kokako, kiwi and tuatara. You can learn more about these programmes on the Department of Conservation website. At the bottom of the continent, under the soil of Southern Africa, lies a very old and huge rock. Called the Kaapval craton, this massive geologic formation is over 2.6 billion years old, and is one of the most stable continental formations on the planet. But this is no ordinary rock. The Kaapval craton contains some of the worlds richest mineral deposits, ranging from gold and diamonds to platinum and asbestos. Their presence has shaped the modern history of Southern Africa. In 1870, a gigantic deposit of diamonds was found near the South African town of Kimberley. Just 16 years later, the worlds largest deposits of gold were found at Witwatersrand in South Africas central Transvaal region. The region boomed. But so did conflict between black and white. Competition for land grew. Germany seized Namibia. Cecil Rhodes, owner of De Beers, grabbed the Zimbabwe plateau to form the colony of Rhodesia. In South Africa, white landowners and mine owners demands for special privileges escalated. Beginning in 1910, a series of laws were introduced that restricted black ownership of the land and limited skilled, high-paying mining jobs to whites. The framework for the policy of apartheid was laid. Nearly a century later, with apartheid disbanded, the struggle to overcome the past lives on. Dominated by South Africa, the region is dogged by the legacy of racial and economic disparity, the ravages of mining and wars. And now, an even more vicious threat lurks: AIDS. Southern Africa has among the worlds highest rates of HIV infection. Though much has been done to overcome the epidemic, much still remains to be done, burnishing still further Southern Africas reputation for courage amidst adversity. New Zealand welcomes everyone to experience and discover its unique and precious natural heritage. We ask only that you make as little impact as possible, so future generations may also enjoy it as you do. There are fourteen national parks