Maori to Own Iconic NZ Hiking Track After Historic Agreement
The coastline of Abel Tasman National Park in New Zealand.
Photographer: Martin Vlnas/iStockphoto/Getty ImagesNew Zealand has ended one of its longest-running land disputes by agreeing to return a vast tract of land at the top of the South Island — including the famed Abel Tasman Coast Track — to the descendants of the original indigenous Māori owners.
Under the agreement, around 7,580 acres (3,068 hectares) across Nelson, Tasman and Golden Bay will be restored to descendants of Te Tauihu Māori, alongside a NZ$420 million ($243 million) payment, Attorney General Judith Collins and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka announced Wednesday.