Stop plans to build the monorail (Fiordland Link Experience) and ruin World Heritage Area

Stop plans to build the monorail (Fiordland Link Experience) and ruin World Heritage Area

Started
June 5, 2012
Petition to
Prime Minister John Key and 1 other
Victory
This petition made change with 9,592 supporters!

Why this petition matters

Started by Martin Sliva

Riverstone Holdings Ltd is planning to create Fiordland Link Experience (boat, bus and monorail). The route of the proposed monorail is through part of the Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand World Heritage Area. World Heritage status has been conferred on the land in this area as a result of its pristine landscape values, in particular its river clearings and flats. There are very few places in the world that are as natural as the landscapes found in the area of the proposed monorail. But now the New Zealand Department of Conservation is considering to allow a developer to cut down hundreds of years old virgin forest to build a monorail and permanent construction road. Continuous swathes of forest will be felled, and kilometres of river flats and wetlands will be irreversibly despoiled. And the Minister for Conservation Nick Smith will make a decision in the very near future.

I live in Te Anau because the area is surrounded by beautiful pristine, mostly untouched nature and adore it - as do many locals and international visitors. However the proposed monorail would destroy it for no reason other than private commercial goals, as there is already a good way to travel to Milford Sound.

Just to summarise a few facts: 
The excursion will not  be shorter than the current road trip, due to the numerous embarking/disembarking between the various means of transport.

It will irreversibly alter and damage pristine places and spoil the peaceful backcountry road to Walter Peak.

Bike trail - yes a cycle trail would be great but without a concrete monster and noisy, large dust clouds creating buses on the gravel road near the cycle trail.

The monorail proposal would by-pass established towns, including tourist dependent Te Anau, to go only to the developer’s exclusively placed hotel/restaurant at Te Anau Downs.

For more information about the Fiordland Link you can visit fiordlandmonorail.info and www.savefiordland.org.nz

We have world class nature here, one of the last remnants in the world. Let’s protect it on behalf of our children, locals and tourists who appreciate it.

Tourism New Zealand’s slogan “100% Pure” will become false advertising if the construction of the monorail is allowed to go ahead.

Please sign the petition to stop this private venture destroying our beautiful landscape, protected as  a World Heritage Area.

You can also help get the message through by leaving a comment on PM John Key's facebook page here: www.facebook.com/pmjohnkey

You can join Facebook group - www.facebook.com/SaveFiordland

Sign and spread our hard copy petition - download and print it (pdf file)

 

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This petition made change with 9,592 supporters!

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Decision Makers

  • John KeyPrime Minister
  • Nick SmithMinister of Conservation