FMC members provide $7.4 million worth of volunteer time and funds annually.  Photo (c) Emma Gregg.

FMC has secured a 20% discount on the DOC Backcountry Hut Pass for its members for the next five years.

While this is positive news, FMC shares its members' disappointment that the discount is lower than in previous years. Despite some tenacious advocacy from FMC, DOC will not currently extend the discount to campsites.

This discount remains one of FMC’s member benefits, made possible by the immense volunteer efforts of FMC members and supporters in helping to maintain and advocate for well-managed public conservation lands. Data modelled from information provided to us by clubs tells us that FMC members provide $7.4 million worth of volunteer time and funds to the conservation estate on an annual basis!

The 20% discount on the Backcountry Hut Pass will be available to FMC members from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2030.

In 2025 we face several challenges – environmental, political and technical – that may mean changes are needed for Backcountry to remain most relevant, accessible and appreciated by its readers.

We want to make Backcountry the best it can be for you. We’d love to hear about how you engage with the magazine, the sections you most enjoy and want to see more of (or less of), or how we could do better.

We’ve created a simple, short five-minute survey to gather your thoughts. The survey closes on 15 April 2025.

New to Backcountry? You can read more about it on our web page or subscribe to the D2U service for our registered members, which delivers 4 copies of the magazine directly to your door for only $25.

Thank you for helping us create a magazine you'll enjoy!

Access to recreational areas at the top of the South Island is often restricted due to the forestry operations. Photo (c) Masha Oliver

Have you heard of Herenga ā Nuku case map?

We have been spending a bit of time researching this map and we highly recommend having a look. It's a map of Aotearoa New Zealand, showing the country's access cases, for example, access dispute cases, new access cases, road stopping cases etc.

It is a great overview of the work that Herenga ā Nuku does, but it also offers insight for the recreational community to find out more about each specific access issue or their local access issues. Herenga ā Nuku is working on improving the map to make it more user-friendly.

If you encounter any access issues while visiting the outdoors, please report them either to Herenga ā Nuku's regional field advisors or to FMC's Executive Officer, eo@fmc.org.nz.

Following a recent High Court decision, it will now be harder for landowners to deny recreational access for health and safety reasons.

The High Court has recently dismissed Worksafe prosecutions against Whakaari Management Limited. These prosecutions were for breaches of health and safety law associated with the tragic deaths among walking tour groups in December 2019. They were also the first of their kind, and their failure will have significant implications for landowners and recreational land users. FMC has worked with our colleagues and friends at Aotearoa Climbing Access Trust (or "ACAT") on these and related issues. We are pleased that ACAT will give a full update on these issues in the next Backcountry.

Why and how should we measure nature's value? Photo (c) Dee Keys. 

The start of the year has been a busy one for FMC on the advocacy front. We’ve submitted our views on two key DOC proposals—one on modernising the management of conservation land and another one on introducing access charges for some public conservation areas. It was great to hear that some of you found our submissions useful in informing your own. We also provided input on the future of Whakapapa Ski Field.

Our submission work continued into March, beginning with a response to DOC’s proposed topic for its Long-term Insights Briefing. This document explores trends, risks, and opportunities while offering impartial analysis and policy options. The suggested focus for the latest one is How to better integrate the value of nature into government decision-making. You can read more about our views on that on our website.

FMC has also contributed to discussions led by the Ministry for Primary Industries on afforestation and native regeneration on Crown-owned land.

Mark your calendars and join us for our next Club kōrero on Wednesday, 9 April, 7-8 pm.

This session will focus on how we can better connect with and engage all outdoor enthusiasts who aren’t club members. We’ll also discuss the access issues you’re facing and how FMC can help. If you have ideas for the future kōrero or topics you’d like to explore, we’d love to hear them.

We hugely appreciated the clubs and individual supporters who came along to our February Club kōrero. Some excellent thoughts on DOC's proposed access charges to some public conservation land were voiced, which helped us refine our submission on this.

Please email Sophie at eo@fmc.org.nz to register for this event.

Do you love the outdoors and are skilled in accounting?

Your expertise can make a real difference for the backcountry. FMC is looking for a capable volunteer to help manage our finances. This remote role averages about 2 hours a week and is a good opportunity to use your professional skills to support a dynamic volunteer-led organisation advocating for outdoor recreation and conservation.

If you're interested or know someone who might be, please get in touch.

For more information about the role, please visit our website or contact Stu Gray, stu.gray@fmc.org.nz

It is still time to nominate members of our community to join the FMC Executive Committee.

Are you passionate about the outdoors and keen to make a difference? Do you want to help protect wild places and improve outdoor recreation opportunities?

If you have time and skills to contribute—particularly in policy, planning, law, governance, media, marketing, or administration—we’d love to hear from you!

This is your chance to join our dedicated team of volunteers. Learn more about the role and how to apply on our website. Nominations are open until Wednesday, 9 April 2025.

For any questions, contact our Executive Officer Operations, Sophie Tucker, eo@fmc.org.nz, or reach out to a current FMC Executive member—contact details are available on our website.

The NZ Mountain Film and Book Festival will run this year in Wānaka, June 20 to 24, 2025, and in Queenstown, June 26 - 27, 2025. Even if you're not able to attend in person, you can bring the films to your town and raise money for your club!

The festival’s national tour shows in cinemas, club rooms and school halls right around the country, starting 1 August 2025. If you'd like to bring the tour to your town, see the instructions on the festival's website.

As part of FMC’s sponsorship of the NZ Mountain Film and Book Festival, we are able to offer a 45-minute selection of festival films for free for schools and Scout groups to show to their students.  Register your school's interest by visiting our website.

Need a new pack liner? FMC has you covered! Photo (c) Rebecca Gray. 

FMC now has blue pack liners available in our shop. Blue is highly visible in both the bush and on snow. The pack liners have the FMC logo and rallying cry:

“We must closely guard the welfare of our National Parks and Reserves. These latter we should not regard as the property of our minister and our government departments, but that they belong to the people of today and tomorrow…We must fight for their protection if necessary.” (Fred Vosseler)

The pack liners are multi-day pack sized 60 x 140 cm and weigh 190g each, available in packs of 5, 20 or 50.  A limited number of older-style white pack liners are still available. 

 Photo (c) John Kerkhofs.

The FMC team is made up of a skilled and passionate volunteer Executive Committee supported by a small staff team.

With growing economic, political and environmental pressures on the land we recreate on, we are increasingly busy here at FMC, working hard to protect access to public land and making sure it is not developed unwisely or seen purely as a profit-generating asset.

If you believe in the work that we do and would like to support us, please join us or make a donation to keep those hills as they are. Your financial support helps us overcome increasing operational costs so we can keep doing what we do.

“We must closely guard the welfare of our National Parks and Reserves. These should not be regarded as the property of our minister or the government. They belong to the people of today and tomorrow. We must fight for their protection if necessary.” Fred Vosseler – Inaugural FMC President (1932)

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