Editing South Island (section)

===Protected areas===

====Forest parks====

[[File:Broken River down main tow Stevage.jpg|thumb|right|[[Broken River Ski Area]] in the [[Craigieburn Forest Park]]]]

There are six forest parks in the South Island that are on public land administered by the Department of Conservation.
; [[Catlins Forest Park]] : Situated in the [[Southland, New Zealand|Southland]] region.
; [[Craigieburn Forest Park]] : Situated in the [[Canterbury Region]], its boundaries lie in part alongside {{NZlSH|73}} and is adjacent to the eastern flanks of the [[Southern Alps]]. The [[Broken River Ski Area]] and the [[Craigieburn Valley Ski Area]] lie within its borders. The [[New Zealand Forest Service]] had used the area as an experimental forestry area and there is now an [[environmental issues|environmental issue]] with the spread of [[wilding conifer]]s.
; [[Hanmer Forest Park]] : Situated in the [[Canterbury Region]].
; [[Lake Sumner Forest Park]] : Situated in the [[Canterbury Region]].
; [[Mount Richmond Forest Park]] : Situated in the [[Marlborough Region|Marlborough region]].
; [[Victoria Forest Park]] : Situated in the [[West Coast, New Zealand|West Coast]] region.

====National parks====
[[File:AbelTasmanNP.jpg|thumb|right|[[Abel Tasman National Park]]]]
[[File:Pancake Rocks Paparoa.jpg|thumb|right|The famous "Pancake Rocks" at Paparoa National Park]]
The South Island has ten [[national parks]] established under the [[National Parks Act 1980 (New Zealand)|National Parks Act 1980]] and which are administered by the [[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation]].

From north to south, the National Parks are:
; [[Kahurangi National Park]] : (4,520&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1996) Situated in the north-west of the South Island, Kahurangi comprises spectacular and remote country and includes the Heaphy Track. It has ancient landforms and unique flora and fauna. It is New Zealand's second-largest national park.
; [[Abel Tasman National Park]] : (225&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1942) Has numerous tidal inlets and beaches of golden sand along the shores of [[Tasman Bay]]. It is New Zealand's smallest national park.
; [[Nelson Lakes National Park]] : (1,018&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1956) A rugged, mountainous area in Nelson Region. It extends southwards from the forested shores of [[Lake Rotoiti, Nelson|Lake Rotoiti]] and [[Lake Rotoroa, Nelson|Rotoroa]] to the [[Lewis Pass National Reserve]].
; [[Paparoa National Park]] : (306&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1987) On the West Coast of the South Island between [[Westport, New Zealand|Westport]] and [[Greymouth]]. It includes the celebrated Pancake Rocks at [[Punakaiki]].
; [[Arthur's Pass National Park]] : (1,144&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1929) A rugged and mountainous area straddling the main divide of the [[Southern Alps]].
; [[Westland Tai Poutini National Park]] : (1,175&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1960) Extends from the highest peaks of the Southern Alps to a wild, remote coastline. Included in the park are [[glacier]]s, scenic lakes and dense [[rainforest]], plus remains of old [[gold mining]] towns along the coast.
; [[Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park]] : (707&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1953) An [[Wiktionary:Alpine|alpine]] park, containing New Zealand's highest mountain, [[Aoraki / Mount Cook]] (3,754&nbsp;m) and its longest glacier, [[Haupapa / Tasman Glacier]] (29&nbsp;km). A focus for [[mountaineering]], [[ski touring]] and scenic flights, the park is an area of outstanding natural beauty. Together, the Aoraki / Mount Cook and Westland Tai Poutini National Parks have been declared a [[World Heritage Site]].
; [[Mount Aspiring National Park]] : (3,555&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1964) A complex of impressively glaciated mountain scenery centred on [[Mount Aspiring / Tititea]] (3,036&nbsp;m), New Zealand's highest peak outside of the main divide.
; [[Fiordland National Park]] : (12,519&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 1952) The largest national park in New Zealand and one of the largest in the world. The grandeur of its scenery, with its deep [[fiord]]s, its lakes of glacial origin, its mountains and [[waterfall]]s, has earned it international recognition as a world heritage area.
; [[Rakiura National Park]] : (1,500&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup>, established 2002) On [[Stewart Island / Rakiura]].

Other native reserves and parks
* [[Hakatere Conservation Park]]<ref>[http://www.doc.govt.nz/templates/PlaceProfile.aspx?id=45070 Hakatere Conservation Park] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014012512/http://doc.govt.nz/templates/PlaceProfile.aspx?id=45070 |date=14 October 2008 }}, Department of Conservation website. Retrieved 21 January 2008.</ref>

{{Wide image|Hooker Valley in Aoraki-Mount Cook National Park.jpg|1080px|Hooker Valley at [[Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park]], with [[Aoraki / Mount Cook]], the highest mountain in New Zealand at 3,724 metres (12,218 feet), and [[Hooker Lake]] in the background}}