A wrap of the biggest stories and best writing about the outdoors from New Zealand and around the world.
Local businesses are proposing a bike track in Abel Tasman National Park.
The track, which would partly run parallel to the Inland Track, could open up a cycle network between Picton and the West Coast.
Business owner Brendan Alborn said the track could “move the dial for the local economy”.
“Having mountain biking in the Abel Tasman when you can couple it with the Old Ghost Road and the Heaphy [Track]… it could be the most epic multi-day cycling circuit in New Zealand definitely, and potentially in the world.”
FMC believes the proposed track would harm the environment in the park.
“It’s protection was, and is, hard won,” FMC president Jan Finlayson said.
Read the full story here.
Hunters hindering climate action
New Zealand’s introduced mammals are bad for the climate, but conservationists have their hands tied by the hunting lobby, writes Marie Russell for Newsroom.
“Hunters want to maintain numbers of feral deer, goats and pigs for their sport. Yet around the country in the bush and wild places, these introduced, browsing pest animals are stripping out the forest understory and killing the saplings,” she said.
“In response, the Department of Conservation appears to be bending over backwards to manage pest animals as a resource for hunters. This has reached the point where, in some areas, DOC seems to be farming the animals on behalf of the hunting fraternity.”
Businesses fight to save Milford Sound Airport
Businesses are fighting to save the Milford Sound Airport from extinction.
Flight operator Hank Sproull believes Milford Sound’s biggest problem is not the aeroplanes.
‘‘It’s the number of buses, the number of camper vans, the number of vehicles coming here … parking wherever they want to park and ruining the whole visitor experience,” he said.
The airport didn’t make the cut for the Milford Opportunities governance group’s proposal which outlines the future of tourism in Milford Sound.
The proposal noted that planes detract from the environment and sea level rise will intensify runway flooding.
Read the full story here.
Lockdown boredom buster 1: Patagonia posts free New Zealand-made film
Patagonia has held an online premiere for its short film Karioi, which is now available free to view online.
The short documentary, narrated by New-Zealand surfer Dave Rastovich, focuses on the Raglan community’s efforts to restore their maunga of Karioi as a habitat for nesting seabirds.
Watch the film here.
Lockdown boredom buster 2: Kids can win outdoor gear with this colouring competition
Struggling to entertain the kids during lockdown? Venture Outdoors New Zealand might have the solution.
The family-run outdoor food store has started a lockdown colouring in competition for little ones, with some great giveaways.
Print the pictures and see more details here.
Bamboo handlebars and filtered water from the bottle
Bamboo handlebars have impressed Mark Watson in Wilderness’ gear roundup.
The Passchier Gump handlebar has a different feel to titanium and aluminium alternatives. “Most notable is the flex; they are noticeably springy. Combined with the vibration-damping qualities of bamboo, this flex serves to take the sting out of rough pavement and gravel roads, significantly increasing comfort and saving energy,” Watson writes.
Another discovery is the Water-to-Go Active water bottles, with an integrated water filter which claims to remove 99.9999% of contaminants.
“There is a convenience about integrated filter bottles that makes them ideal for fast-and-light activities,” Watson writes.
“You simply fill it and drink from the bottle immediately, or squeeze the contents into a larger container.”
Read the full roundup here.
