Evangeline Bivvy was restored by volunteers in 2019, but the two-bunk hut was removed by DOC from its location near Lake Sumner after being knocked off its foundations in 2023. Users wanted it returned near its original site, but the department said it was a low-use and low-priority hut it was working to formally dispose of.

Craig Benbow, a former chair of the Backcountry Trust, said it appeared DOC had already made up its mind and had given the hut to the Rod Donald Trust before consulting the public.

Emails released to Benbow under the Official Information Act showed the hut had already been picked up by the Rod Donald Trust in July last year to be used as a day shelter on Te Ara Pātaka track on Banks Peninsula.

Benbow said DOC had failed to follow process. DOC refused to be interviewed, but in written answers to questions, operations manager Kirsty Milne said its decision was not final. But Richard Janssen, one of the volunteers who restored the hut in 2019, said the decision was already predetermined. “I’m very, very, very annoyed and I’m being polite there. I think what’s happened with it absolutely stinks,” Janssen said. Consultation closes on 9 July.

“I think they’re just trying to cover their backsides. If it wasn’t for Craig making the Official Information Act request and finding out just what decisions were made, I think the officers at DOC would’ve just happily carried on.” Read more from RNZ. 

Record demand for DOC Bookings over the two-week opening period

Across this year’s two-week booking opening period, DOC is reporting that over 33,000 bookings were processed.

They are also claiming a better user experience with bookings completed in around half the usual timeframe, thanks to improvements to DOC’s online system.

DOC Director Heritage and Visitors Cat Wilson says the results confirm New Zealand’s status as a world-class outdoor destination. The Milford Track once again proved hugely popular, selling out in just 34 minutes and attracting a peak of 13,500 users – a new record for the track and up from last year’s previous record of 12,000 users.

International demand remained strong across several of the most popular Great Walks, with international visitors making up 34 percent of bookings for both the Milford and Routeburn tracks. At the same time, New Zealanders continued to dominate bookings on other experiences, including the Paparoa Track, where domestic visitors accounted for 93 percent of bookings.

This year’s standout was the Routeburn Track, which saw nearly as many people log in at opening as the Milford Track, marking one of the busiest booking days DOC has ever seen. Read more from DOC.

New 350km European hiking trail inspired by Celtic mythology

The Grande Randonnée de Pays, a vast, 350km loop that will straddle the French and Belgian Ardennes, is set to open later this year.  The route is designed to be completed in 15 stages of around 23km a day and weaves through verdant Ardennes forest, past lakes and wildlife. 

Trekkers will see the French Ardennes town of Sedan and its historic fort, and visit idyllic hamlets like Signy-l’Abbaye and Rocroi, all of which nod to the region’s mythology. Arduinna was the Celtic goddess and protector of the forest, and it’s this legend which has inspired the path. 

The region is remote and one of the greenest areas of France, but it’s not completely isolated – in fact, this new route overlaps somewhat with GRP Argonne and GRP Ardennes-Meuse. The path should officially open in September 2026, but keep an eye on the official website for the latest information and read more in Time Out.

New Zealand marks biggest marine reserve expansion in over a decade

The newly designated 308-square-kilometre network along the Otago coast, co-managed alongside Kāi Tahu iwi, safeguards critical marine habitats for endangered species.

The addition, increases mainland Aotearoa New Zealand’s total marine reserve coverage by nearly 50 percent. Known collectively as Te Au Roa o Te Rakihouia – a name honouring the ancestral voyages of the local Kāi Tahu iwi (tribe) – the reserves are entirely “no-take” zones designed to minimise human disruption and allow depleted ecosystems a chance to heal. These reserves will officially take effect on 1 July 2026.

The protected coastal waters boast highly diverse habitats, including giant kelp forests, rocky reefs, steep offshore canyons, and fragile deepwater coral communities. These areas serve as vital breeding and feeding grounds for several globally threatened and iconic species. Among them are the yellow-eyed penguin, sea lion and albatross.

This network will be co-managed by the Department of Conservation and Kāi Tahu will jointly manage and monitor the waters. A dedicated team of nine specialised rangers, drawn from both entities, will handle daily monitoring and enforcement. Read more from Oceanographic.

Rees Valley turns love nest as threatened takahē thrive

Otago’s Rees Valley has officially become the site of New Zealand’s largest wild takahē population outside their original Fiordland habitat, in what conservationists describe as a pivotal moment for the endangered species.

Southern Lakes Sanctuary said the population was successfully breeding in the wild after the release of 86 birds since February 2025. Chief executive Paul Kavanagh said years of predator control and trapping work in the valley near Glenorchy had create the conditions needed for the birds to re-establish.

“We’re absolutely rapt. Things are looking really positive there, which is great, and we’re really proud of what we’ve achieved,” he said. “Getting the birds returning to an area is one thing but keeping them safe when they are there is the next step.”

Kavanagh said the sanctuary was working with DOC’s takahē recovery programme, mana whenua, landowners, community groups, volunteers and funding partners to restore the ecosystem and support the birds.

DOC takahē recovery project lead Jason van de Wetering said establishing new wild populations was critical to securing the future of the bird. Read more from RNZ.

Artist creates 3D artwork of tracks

Combining his passion for tramping with an interest in 3D printing, artist Dillion Lavona was inspired to create a printing business of his own to bring hiking trails to life. “I like the idea of two completely contrasting worlds coming together,” he said.

Based in Hawke’s Bay, he released his first artwork three months ago. “The reception has been far greater than I ever imagined, and I now have three printers operating as close to 24/7 as possible,” Lavona said. He is beginning work on modelling the complete collection of New Zealand’s Great Walks. 

The process starts with a high-resolution LiDAR scan that is processed through several software applications and then imported into a 3D modelling programme. From there, Lavona models the tracks by hand and edits the model so that it looks pleasing to the eye. “The earth is rather flat compared to its size, so I need to do a fair bit of exaggerating to give the terrain its height and depth,” he said. Read more from Wilderness.