Abel Tasman National Park and the Queen Charlotte Track are pumping $54.4 million a year into the Nelson-Tasman and Marlborough economies, a new study says.

Conservation Minister Chris Carter announced the findings of the study (Regional Economic Impacts of Abel Tasman National Park and Queen Charlotte Track) at the opening of Nelson’s new visitor information centre, Millers Centre/Taha o te Awa, today.

Prepared by Christchurch-based economists Butcher Partners, the report says that economic activities in relation to Abel Tasman National Park contribute $45 million annually to total spending in the Nelson-Tasman region, and the Queen Charlotte Track, contributes $9.4 million to total spending in Marlborough.

“Placing the intrinsic values of these spectacular natural areas to one side, the report confirms that there is a significant economic dimension to public conservation land in Nelson-Tasman and Marlborough,” Mr Carter said.

“It underscores that carefully-managed tourism and recreation in our national parks and reserves can have substantial benefits to regional economies.”

Abel Tasman National Park has led to the creation of 370 full-time job equivalents in the Nelson-Tasman region, the report says, earning the region an additional household income of $11 million a year.

The calculations are based on DOC’s spending on the national park, the activities of concessionaires, and visitor spending inside the national park and in getting to and from the site. For visitors, this includes travel, accommodation and food. Around 160,000 visit the national park each year.

Using the same methodology, the Queen Charlotte Track’s contribution to Marlborough is 98 full-time job equivalents, earning household income of $2.5 million a year. Around 35,000 people visit part or all of the track each year.

"It is important to acknowledge the goodwill of private landowners who allow the Queen Charlotte Track to cross their properties," Mr Carter said.

“Contrary to the tired old allegations that conservation 'locks up' land, this report demonstrates once again that protecting native species and providing recreation opportunities does not prevent economic activity arising from natural areas,” Mr Carter said.

Last year there were 889 tourism-related concessions in place for businesses to operate on conservation land around the country. In 2004-2005 there were 33.5 million visits to public conservation land, of which around 62 per cent were by New Zealanders, and 38 per cent by overseas visitors.

The Nelson-Marlborough study complements a similar study by Butcher Partners, released in June last year, which found that economic activity in relation to DOC and public conservation land on the West Coast produced $221 million a year and 1814 full-time job equivalents.

A copy of the report is available on www.doc.govt.nz