The past and future of Great Walks
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Original post
I'm uncertain of the entire history. Great Walks tend to be themed around tourism, which DOC doesn't have a legal mandate to promote. So, the only rationale I can really see for the creation of more Great Walks is to structure any already-existing intensive tourism to protect the places which people are visiting, or to create a beacon for all those people who might otherwise go and visit less safe and less managed places. I agree with @waynowski's statement that turning something into a Great Walk really causes an area to lose something. It becomes much more tame, and at the same time becomes a much higher expense for DOC.
On the other hand, there are plenty of lesser-themed walks which DOC's investing in to help promote recreation, and unlike tourism that is one of its mandates. The Holdsworth-Jumbo circuit's gotten lots of investment in the last few years, because it's so handy to places like Masterton. It's much easier now for locals to get their kids into somewhere like Atiwhakatu Hut, or nearby camping, and probably around the rest of the circuit. I don't see why it should need to be a Great Walk, though, and I also don't think it really fits a Great Walk profile very well. (Weather too unpredictible, potentially very dangerous at random times, and so potentially catastrophically inconsistent with the conveyor belt inexperienced tourism which Great Walks tend to attract.)
@nzbazza: National Parks? Well, if they were created anyway then I don't personally see why they shouldn't be in places that aren't National Parks. There are plenty of interesting and unique places that aren't National Parked. They're often less protected on paper, but that doesn't make it right. In some cases, the designation is a consequence of politics, or the branch of the government (Lands & Survey or Forestry Service) which happened to be managing the land 50 years ago. In the end, DOC just inherited it all. NP's stayed NP's under the National Parks Act, whereas all Forest Parks automatically became Conservation Parks under the Conservation Act. With 30% of conservation land still having no clear designation as Stewardship Land even though it was meant to be properly reclassified 25 years ago except that nobody got around to it, it shouldn't be unexpected that there might also be plenty of Conservation Park land out there that could have as easily been made a National Park under different circumstances.
Just my thoughts. :)
One of my fears is that the Travers-Sabine will become a Great Walk. Already the rot has set in as Angelus Hut now has to be pre-booked during the summer.
One problem for me in these situations is the ban on camping within 500m of a Great Walk (not to mention open fire bans). The Travers Valley and Dart Valley have so many beautiful camp sites. I wander up the Travers Valley, fishing as I go, and camp at one of the superb sites, light a fire, and have a wonderful wilderness experience. If some young hut warden came along and told me to pack up I wonder what I would do!? Actually the DOC leaflet already says "No Fires" but I doubt that is legal and I ignore it.
I feel privileged to have started tramping before all the rules and regs. started clamping down on us!
Increasing the numbers of people who appreciate and experience the outdoors is a good thing. With increasing use there will be more issues and a greater need for sensible effective management. There's the challenge in the detail.
@deepriver: "Actually the DOC leaflet already says "No Fires" but I doubt that is legal and I ignore it. "
Nelson Lakes seems to have a bunch of bylaws about fires. http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2006/0175/latest/whole.html#DLM395260 They basically just seem to say "not within 200m of a road", "supervise your fire at all times", and various forms of "don't be stupid".
There might be other laws or regs elsewhere. The Forest & Rural Fires Act (which it also links to) has a bunch of stuff about fire officers being able to declare fire hazard seasons and areas. I haven't read that one.
I'd be tempted to politely contact DOC, citing the leaflet, and ask what legislation they're using to back up the rule. It depends how much you care, though.
@Izogi - I suspect you want the Forest and Rural Fires Act. This makes the minister of conservation responsible for all 'state areas' and also for the safety margin around them. The safety margin is 1km - the reason you seen 'light no fires' or 'fires by permit' signs 1km before you reach DOC or former state forest land.
The responsability is delegated to a fire officer. For DOC this is a ranger in the local office, who has the responsibility to determine if fires are permitted or not, and whether permits are required, and for issuing said permits. In practice DOC have guidelines for determining the open / restricted / closed season, but I suspect that under the law the decision is theirs freely to make (i.e. the guidelines are policy, not legal).
Where former state forests have been taken over by forestry companies the same situation seems to persist, with the company responsible for fire fighting, and for setting permitted and closed seasons. Again, the 1km buffer applies.
So, as a neighbouring landowner you have a either DOC or a private company telling you whether you can light fires, and who you must approach for permits. Given that DOC are legally responsable for all sorts of strange spots of land: queen's chain, gravel reserves , etc, - and given the 1km safety margin, DOC are responsible for permitting and fighting fires on and amazingly high amount of private land as well as public.
@hugh vn "Increasing the numbers of people who appreciate and experience the outdoors is a good thing. With increasing use there will be more issues and a greater need for sensible effective management. There's the challenge in the detail."
just look at the tongariro crossing, a disaster waiting to happen. its debateable that it has not been sensibly managed for some time due to the sheer no's of inexperienced people on it
I think DOC have made it pretty clear, they DO promote tourism
the act says something like "allow", but that's old policy.
in saying that, the promotion of tourism makes more aware of conservation etc.
it also gets people into the hills that wouldn't otherwise go there
there is a "second tier" of tracks.
again, serving a similar purpose, but caters to bit different user. ie Powell-Jumbo, and the many south island tracks
DOC emphasis is clearly encouraging new visitors to the hills, hence the effort in fringe areas. nothing new, its been going on since the forest service developed forest parks
to me, it doesn't effect many places I go. have no desire to walk great walks, I can find plenty of places that are just as enjoyable. Don't really understand the attraction of the great walks, its probably just the promotion of them, and they become "must do's" .
Guys,its simple.Clearly great walks are for tourists,new trampers and those that want a nice uncomplicated experience.Nothing wrong with that.
The rest of us can use the other 95% of NZ back country and leave them to it.
Thanks for the detail, @madpom.
@TararuaHunter, most (all?) of that stuff would be part of DOC's mandate to foster recreation, I think. It's in s6 of the Conservation Act, which defines what DOC should actually be doing with the money it's allocated. (In short: "foster the use of natural and historic resources for recreation", and "allow their use for tourism", and a bunch of other stuff that has something to do with protecting plants and animals and is more important.) I see the Jumbo/Holdsworth circuit stuff as being entirely about fostering recreation, specifically for people who live accessibly nearby. It's not exactly being promoted beyond that.
I don't think there's a strict definition of tourism in the Conservation Act. To me it's normally when people go a long way from home, and in this day and age it frequently involves visitors from overseas. This is fine, of course, but if DOC's going out of its way to advertise and promote stuff to increase tourism, instead of just managing things for the tourists already arriving, then it's potentially going beyond its mandate, imho. It's less simple with Great Walks, though. Their promotion and drawing of tourists into intensively managed places helps to protect everywhere else from potential overuse, and so it might be justified by DOC's other priorities of protecting the estate.
That's one of the reasons why I don't think DOC should be in any great hurry to play the game for this Northland Great Walk proposal: http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/10673547/The-hunt-for-the-10th-great-walk-in-Far-North -- Its motivation seems to be all about drawing tourists to Northland by virtue of "having a Great Walk", and less about protecting the conservation estate. Those are just random thoughts right now, though.
I see that proposed Great Walk from Spirit's Bay to Te Paki (which I have done in bits, and paddled past) as being a very similar idea as John Key's cycle tracks, which are popping up all over the place. Just a way of getting paying customers into Northland and having a good time. Nothing wrong with that but not really in the spirit of a 'Great Walk'.
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| Started by | izogi |
| On | 18 November 2014 |
| Replies | 26 |
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