This Thursday, FMC will be launching its election campaign online on Zoom. Details are as follows:

Date: Thursday 18 June 2020
Time: 7pm to 8pm

Venue: Zoom Video Conferencing

We would like to extend the invitation to representatives of our member clubs and to individual supporters to attend.

Registration is required - click here to register.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

We hope to see you there!

FMC is deeply concerned that DOC appears to be trying to quietly enable the developer to vary their concession without public input.

The Department of Conservation has called the plan to fell hundreds of native trees to dig in a pipeline through public conservation land a ‘minor’ change and a ‘material’ variation, and therefore not publicly notifiable. FMC’s calculation is that more than 1,000 trees would need to be removed, well in excess of what DOC has indicated.

The New Zealand Canyoning Association were initially given only five days to respond to this threat. The timeframe for a response was eventually extended after some robust debate.

We are working to support the Canyoners and stand up for other FMC members' interests.

Read more

NZTA recently announced changes to its winter roading policy concerning Porters Pass and Arthur's Pass. These alpine passes are now being managed according to an open / closed policy, where the roads are being closed to all vehicles the moment it starts snowing, and are not being reopened until after the snow has been cleared from the road.

Snow in the mountains and on alpine roads is a fact of life. FMC acknowledges that driving in wintry conditions can be treacherous, and that care is required. Drivers must slow down, always carry chains, take a 4WD vehicle if possible. We do not believe a blanket road closure while it is snowing is warranted or beneficial. We have thus written to Phil Twyford, asking for the policy to be withdrawn.

We would like to encourage any members who are concerned about the current policy to sign the petition below:

https://www.change.org/p/phil-twyford-nzta-must-urgently-review-the-new-winter-road-closure-policy

"There are almost certainly other, more robust, Buller sites that could be considered in bona fide processes," says FMC President Jan Finlayson. "For example the Denniston Plateau, the Kawatiri Trail and the Heaphy Track’s Scotts Beach walk, potential Wangapeka Track restoration, and even promotion of a Wangapeka-Heaphy loop."

"The whole shebang is an insult: to New Zealand’s beautiful wild places, science, good process, and the common good. It endangers confidence in the law, its functions, and our public agencies."

http://stuff.co.nz/environment/121671130/drop-insulting-plans-for-the-beautiful-prara-basin

Don't forget to get your club competition going this year! A perfect thing to do on a club night during the long cold winter evenings...

If you haven't run a competition before, why not give it a try? This year we are offering a participation prize, drawn out of a hat from all the clubs which enter. Also, we've put together resources to help you set it up as easily as possible, so give it a go, you might find you enjoy it ;0)

The winning images of club competitions are eligible to be entered by the club into the FMC competition. FMC individual supporters can also enter, and are pre-judged by FMC with the top shots gaining entry to the overall competition.

Information on how to enter is on our website www.fmc.org.nz/photo-competition. That page also includes tips on how to run a photo competition for your club, both in person and online.

The competition closes 1st September for Individual Supporters and 15th September for clubs.

If you have any questions, please contact photocomp@fmc.org.nz

Through the support of the FMC Mountain and Forest Trust, we're pleased to be able to offer cash grants to help training in clubs. Any training which results in a benefit to the club can be eligible; from leadership and skills for the mountains and club committees to first aid courses. The training can be delivered by clubs or by professionals.

There is $2,000 available for 2020, and applications close 15 September. All the information, including application form is available in the members area on our website.

Does your club have a lodge, gear hire service, van or anything else you'd like the wider outdoor community to use? A reunion or event you'd like to advertise to all Backcountry readers?

FMC 'Little Ads' appear at the back of each issue. Activities or services which aren't intended to make a profit (i.e. reunions) are free, all other club ads are charged at 50% of the normal rates.

Visit our website, or contact Dan Clearwater adverts@fmc.org.nz 021 215 7059 to place an ad.