Nominations for the FMC Executive closed last Wednesday, 13 April 2023. Below is a summary of how the Executive for the year 2023-24 is shaping up.
 
We have received more nominations than there are available positions for President, and for the general Executive. We are therefore having a contested election.
 
Election

Clubs only can vote. A mailout to clubs went out on Monday, 17 April 2023. Voting forms are also available on our website. They need to be returned to the Executive Officer by email by 5pm on Wednesday 24 May 2023.
 
Information about the candidates is available on our website.
 
Departing Exec members
 
Four members of the current Executive are leaving us. These are John Beech, Nick Cowie, Ruari MacFarlane and James Thornton. FMC would like to thank all of them for their hard work over the past years. They have all contributed greatly to success of our organization.
 
President
 
Robin McNeill has decided not to stand for President in the coming year. He will thus be Immediate Past President ex officio.
 
Two candidates have been nominated by clubs: Megan Dimozantos and Neil Silverwood. There will be a contested election. Information about the two candidates is in the first four pages of the attached file.
 
Vice-President
 
Allan Brent is the only nominee for the position. Allan is thus confirmed to retain his position of Vice President.

Executive
 
We have received a total of 16 nominations for the FMC Executive. One of these (either Megan Dimozantos or Neil Silverwood) will drop out of this race, since they will be elected President. We still have 15 candidates for 13 available positions. This means we are having a contested election.

Information about the nominees is on pages 5 to 16 in the attached file.

At the beginning of April, FMC sent a representative to the Redress Ceremony to celebrate the initialling of the Deed of Settlement for Ngā Iwi o Taranaki, Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo. We extend our congratulations to Ngā Iwi o Taranaki, and have offered our ongoing support to iwi as they navigate the implementation of Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo. We recognise the pain that land confiscations by the Crown have caused to mana whenua and their relationship with their Tūpuna and we sincerely hope that once ratified, Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo will serve as a solid foundation for the ongoing journey of healing and reconnecting tangata whenua with their mounga.

This is the beginning of an important journey for us all in Taranaki. Treaty settlements need not be a source of anxiety for our outdoors community. FMC sees this as a positive step forward in our community's relationship with mana whenua, the Crown, and the land itself. We look forward to working alongside Ngā Iwi o Taranaki.

In May 2022, a road stopping proposal for Opawe Road was presented by the Manawatu District Council (MDC). Federated Mountain Clubs objected to the proposal.

MDC has now informed us that they wish to consider other options, which will require further investigation and assessment, and so the current stopping proposal has been withdrawn. This is a positive outcome for access to the Ruahine Ranges, and we are optimistic that any follow-up proposals for Opawe Road will take into consideration the strong feedback presented to the MDC.

The council received 61 objections to the proposal, including FMC's. Among other things, our main concerns were that the proposed easement in place of the existing road did not allow the same access and did not have the same protection that we would expect of enduring access, and which was afforded by the existing legal road.

DOC are continuing to assess areas affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. As assessments are completed, or as areas are opened, DOC will update their website, so please make sure you visit the DOC website before venturing into the hills.

Please note that just because an area is opened does not mean that all the tracks have been fully checked, so please take these additional precautions in North, Central and Eastern North Island areas:

• Allow for extra travel time to negotiate windfall or track damage.
• Carry an emergency shelter and enough clothes for an unplanned night out.
• Take an emergency locator beacon with you.
• Have appropriate means to navigate off-track if required.
• Be prepared to turn back if trail conditions aren’t viable.
• If you venture out and come across any track or hut damage, please report it at this link.

In particular, the following information will ensure it gets attended to as quickly as possible:

• GPS coordinates (NZTM format preferred)
• Photos of the damage
• Measurements (for example, approximately how big are the trees across the track? How many are there? How long is the slip?)
• A detailed description

Providing this information is the best way the community can help recovery efforts on public conservation land.

At the same time, if a track is showing as closed on the DOC website, but is found to be no longer closed, please communicate this to the local DOC office so their website can be updated.

For a detailed update on affected areas, read more on our website.

Auckland Council are continuing to assess areas affected by Cyclone Gabrielle. As assessments are completed, or as areas are opened, they will update their website, so please make sure you visit Emergency Facility Closures page before venturing into our regional parks

There is also a tracks open and closed map on the Auckland Council website, but this is not always reliable and reported re-openings are not yet reflected in the map.

Read more on the Auckland Tramping Club website.

DOC is updating accommodation prices for huts, lodges, some campsites, the West Coast’s Paparoa Track, and off-season rates for some Great Walk huts.

Among other changes, standard hut fees will increase from $5 to $10 and serviced hut fees will move from $15 to $25, starting 1 July 2023.

FMC submitted on the hut price review in 2022.

Read more on the DOC website.

FMC has arranged a special early press release with the NZ Mountain Film Festival of the festival book award finalists. Keep an eye out on our social media pages (Facebook and Instagram) to be amongst the first to find out who this year's finalists are.

Festival passes to this year's Mountain Film Festival will be going on sale on 1 May. This gives you a pass to all the shows in either Wanaka or Queenstown at a discounted rate. General ticket sales begin 23 May. 

Enrolments are now open for the Adventure Writing School - a weekend workshop of writing about adventure, nature and the outdoors - and Adventure Film School - a five-day course aimed at intermediate film makers. 

Did you know FMC clubs can host a local film screening during the National Tour? These film screenings are a fantastic way of fundraising for your club, as well as a chance to promote your club locally.

Find out how easy it is to organise your own NZMFF film screening on Wilderlife.

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 Rebecca Gray adverts@fmc.org.nz to place an ad.