Conservation

West Coaster’s Hut Crusade Sparks Nationwide Movement  — and a New Film

Hut Keepers  West Coaster’s Hut Crusade Sparks Nationwide Movement — and a New Film

Grassroots grit and quiet heroes take centre stage in a powerful debut film. A new feature documentary celebrating the quiet heroes of Aotearoa’s wilderness will premiere at the New Zealand Mountain Film & Book Festival late June. 'Hut Keepers' tells the story of a grassroots volunteer movement working to preserve some of New Zealand’s remote backcountry huts. When shifting government priorities threatened their future, a small group of trampers and tinkerers picked up hammers, chainsaws, and paintbrushes —and got to work.

Responsible Visitor Behaviour in Nature

Outdoor Community  Responsible Visitor Behaviour in Nature

New Zealand’s wildlife is precious, and everyone who lives and travels here has a responsibility to look after it. As kaitiaki and guardians of our land, we all have a shared responsibility to look after our place and help others to do the same. Developed during their recent Recreation Sector Hui, the Department of Conservation offers some simple things to remember when visiting our wild places.

Alpine Daisy Hunting With Jane Gosden

Botany Mission  Alpine Daisy Hunting With Jane Gosden

“I grew up in National Parks around New Zealand,” is a statement not many of us can claim. But Jane Gosden can. As a keen ecologist with a special interest in alpine plants and years of working in and above the bush line, she recently published a field guide to alpine daisies in the genus Celmisia. Her curiosity and attraction to Celmisia took her on a nationwide mission, from the mountains to the sea. In her story for Wilderlife, she talks about her life and work in high, wild places and her love for everything that inhabits them – especially plants.

Falls Creek, A True West Coast Adventure

Rivers  Falls Creek, A True West Coast Adventure

What does it mean to be a West Coast adventurer? For Rata Lovell Smith, a Wahine Toa who runs the Tai Poutini Polytechnic Outdoor Education Program, the West Coast adventurer is as unique and powerful as the landscape itself. In this river spotlight, she highlights Falls Creek – a West Coast kayaker's dream and 'a sacred chasm of water and rock.'

The New Zealand Bird Atlas

Citizen Science  The New Zealand Bird Atlas

What's one simple and easy way you can help with conservation? Whether you're lounging in your backyard or out for an overnight mission in the bush, noticing and logging the bird life around you on the eBird app has a profound impact. Dan Burgin, NZ Bird Atlas Team, takes readers step-by-step into how they can begin 'Atlasing' on the eBird app and develop competency in their bird identification skills.

Sustainable in Print?

Backcountry Magazine  Sustainable in Print?

In light of climate change, have you ever wondered why FMC continues to print its Backcountry magazine? Backcountry editor, Peter Laurenson, shares FMC's reasons behind the printed version, the steps taken to align with its values of stewardship and environmental protection, and the future of this classic publication.

Getting More Than You Give

Volunteering  Getting More Than You Give

'There always seems to be more to gain no matter how much you give.' Guided by this philosophy, Cath and her partner become active volunteers in the trapping community in Southland. After relocating to Central Otago, the pair are introduced to a new landscape, as well as the wildlife and pest diversity that comes along with it.

Wilderlife
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