Tongariro (1990, 1993)
New Zealand

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In 1993 Tongariro became the first property to be inscribed on the World Heritage List under the revised criteria describing cultural landscapes. The mountains at the heart of the park have cultural and religious significance for the Maori people and symbolize the spiritual links between this community and its environment. The park has active and extinct volcanoes, a diverse range of ecosystems and some spectacular landscapes. 

Tongariro is located on the North Island. This was the first national park to be established in New Zealand and the fourth in the world. The three andesitic volcanoes at the heart of the park - the mountains Tongariro, Ngaruahoe 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. 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. 

• New Zealand 1987.  Erupting volcano in Tongariro National Park. The small plant in the lower left corner is the tussock.  
• New Zealand 1997.  Mount Ngauruhoe in Tongariro National Park. 
• New Zealand 2000.  Mount Ruapehu erupting in Tongariro National Park. 

Tongariro is home to many amazing native creatures including New Zealand's only native mammals, the short and long tailed bats. Birds you might see during daylight include North Island robins, fantails, parakeets and even a kereru (native pigeon) or two. Smaller, but no less interesting are the numerous insects that live in the park. 

• New Zealand 1960.  Native Pigeon (Kereru).
• New Zealand 1965.  Grey Fantail (Rhipidura Fuliginosa). Health stamp with surcharge. 
• New Zealand 1962.  Red Fronted Parakeet (Kakariki).  Health stamp with surcharge. 
• New Zealand 1988.  North Island Robin (Petroica Australis).

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.

Source and link: 

• Tongariro National Park (New Zealand Dept. of Conservation)

Other World Heritage Sites in New Zealand (on this site). Please refer to the UNESCO-listing, New Zealand section, for further information about the individual properties. 

• Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand
• New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands

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