The Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand has elected a new president and vice president.

Jan Finlayson (pictured) takes over as president of the organisation from Peter Wilson and is joined by vice president Tania Seward.

Finlayson, a journalist with the Geraldine News, is the first woman to lead the organisation since Janet Girvan in 1989.

Finlayson said some of the big issues she is keen to focus on as president of FMC are climate change and how the Department of Conservation deals with it, tourism, high country leases and the future of the Walking Access Act and commission.

Seward lives in Christchurch where she works for the Ministry of Justice. She has previously worked at Wilderness and provided freelance contributions to the magazine.