• John Saunders I wouldn't trust Kate Wilkinson. She has a $54m budget cut over four years; severe staff cuts and a DG who shares her vision that the DOC estate has to turn a dollar and pay its own way. So its all up for grabs, like that National Park land she hocked off for a private skiifield at Crystal Valley. And has anybody been staying at the upgraded Dorset Ridge (earlier post) when the chopper brings in the hunters and they reckon its theirs? That's not the Tararuas I know and love. And this Game Council deal she did with Peter Dunne will make it worse. The hunters actually get to control the DOC land!
  16 November 2011
• stunted I think that DOC will be looking to sign up "maintained by community" agreements with groups/organisations for huts which aren't considered core huts in each area. Ownership will stay with DOC, which personally I think is a good thing as with ownership comes liability. As long as the huts have been bought up to standard when DOC did have money it shouldn't be too much work to keep them 'safe and sanitary' by keeping them clean, poisoning rats/mice, keeping vegetation clear and fixing problems when they are small. This system is already in place for a number of huts in the Tararuas eg Dorset Ridge, Nth Ohau, Burn to name a few.
  16 November 2011
• OldGoat Who legally owns these huts? NZFS built many for WAC(wild animal control)so these must be under DOCs wing, but what of the hundreds of huts built by tramping clubs and NZDA.All huts have been inspected by DOC, and many have had renovations to remedy "building " faults.But does this give DOC the right to "own" these huts...
  10 November 2011
• lewshaw It disappeared into the ether.I`m having problems downloading photos & it got snarly & ate my text in this post.Somewhere it suggested I update my Java memory,but I`m no techo with computers.But put me under a pack or a hill.... The guts of my proposed blog is that with a new government,DOC will get severe budget cuts & less popular huts & tracks,will be axed.Interest groups like NZDA,tramping clubs etc will be offered the huts or they may be removed.DOCs policy of demolition by neglect won`t apply as there will be safety issues which DOC are very stringent on.DOC employees have seen all this in internal memos & as an interest group,we not only have to be aware,but actively come up with options,otherwise our unique-in-the -world hut system may be at risk. Feel free to post this to the site,as I`m not on top of these post issues yet.
  10 November 2011
• ledge Hey, where's your article? Like the title, (Threatened Species) ...Hutbragger in Nelson
  9 November 2011

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Added 6 November 2011 by lewshawlewshaw. No revisions.