Fragile red tussock and subalpine herb fields are being trampled as ‘Instagram-mania’ heads uphill to Taranaki’s Pouakai Tarns, leaving local DOC staff concerned. Senior Ranger, Dave Rogers, says measures will be put in place this summer to try to protect the area, or at least mitigate the damage. Tens of thousands of people make the […]
About the author
Kathy Ombler
Freelance author Kathy Ombler mostly writes about outdoor recreation, natural history and conservation, and has contributed to Wilderness for many years. She has also written and edited for other publications and websites, most recently Federated Mountain Club’s Backcountry, Forest & Bird, and the Backcountry Trust. Books she has authored include Where to Watch Birds in New Zealand, Walking Wellington and New Zealand National Parks and Other Wild Places. She is currently a trustee for Wellington’s Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush Trust.
Tongariro Northern Circuit huts no longer first-in, first-served during winter
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Bikepacker, tramper and guide Hana Black
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