The Invisible Tragedy of the Kiwi

Over at the Economist from a few weeks back, there is an interesting & concise article about an emerging struggle in New Zealand. With booming tourism now that the landscape is the darling of the film industry (old Peter Jackson, LOTR, Narnia, King Kong... even Hercules and Xena from way back), land is being scooped up in giant waves and the pristine landscape that makes the land so beautiful is being converted into high rises and such. To further enhance tourism, it appears the politicians have passed laws encouraging various levels of land protection across the country, including this interesting idea of public access along the coasts elaborated below. I actually tend to be in support of such ideas, but I'll admit upfront that that is coming from a viewpoint shaped exclusively by tourism and a love of nature and unspoilt landscapes. There are many men out there who's lives most surely are dependent on *not* having these type of laws dumped at their feet, and in New Zealand at least, they seem to have done a decent job of not making too big a global footprint in spite of their efforts to succeed in the world of global capitalism. So wherein lies right and wrong? I'm absolutely in support of the preservation of acreage around the cities, Auckland in particular since its both the largest and the one mine own eyes have beheld and thus have a sense of the delicate state of the local environs. However, there needs to be some protection from tourists and wanderers for the farmers and landholders so that, while there land may not be pirvate property in the sense it once was, they are at least compensated and protected from damages.... a minimal fence of some sort that blends in with the landscape perhaps? Or just fair cash payments? I don't know--at that point we dive headlong into the realm of the eminent domain debate. Thoughts?

Economist.com | Articles by Subject | New Zealand: "Such situations are increasingly common in New Zealand these days. The trouble started last June when the acting rural-affairs minister proposed creating a right of public access to a five-metre (16 feet) wide strip of land along all coastlines and waterways, on private land as well as public. Then last month the Auckland Regional Council made a bid to classify vast rural areas as %u201Coutstanding natural landscapes%u201D. The goal, says Philip Pannett, the council's planning manager, is to protect 125,000 hectares (310,000 acres) around Auckland from development. This includes excellent coastal landscapes and volcanic cones, something the public wants protected, he adds. By heavily restricting the further subdivision of properties in this area, views should remain uncluttered by houses, fences and drives."