On Monday, FMC was in the Auckland High Court, seeking clarification over the DOC concession for the Griffin Creek hydro scheme water intake.

In 2021 FMC became strongly concerned about the redesign and changes to this concession, which led to the current legal action.

The implementation of the changes would irreversibly and fundamentally impact the outstanding natural and recreational values of the creek and its surroundings.

The judge has reserved her decision on the case. FMC hopes to see the decision made before Christmas.

Read more on Newsroom

Our work, such as this, is not possible without your support. If you value what we do, please visit our web page to donate.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) will be introducing a booking system for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, which will go live on 1 October on the DOC website.

DOC is encouraging everyone who accesses any part of the Tongariro Alpine Crossing to make a booking. This enables DOC to gather information on what visitors are doing when they come to Tongariro to help shape future improvements. While strongly encouraged, booking is not compulsory. The booking form will help people doing outdoor recreation other than the Crossing to understand their access options, including permits to park longer than four hours. All parking is available on a first come first served basis.

Whilst completing the short booking form you will be asked if you are intending to park for longer than 4 hours. Please enter your license plate when prompted and print the email receipt to leave on your dash, or present to the ranger onsite at Mangatepopo car park. Enjoy your Tongariro experience and be safe!

Congratulations to the winners of the FMC Individual Supporter photo competition, who each get a copy of the book 'Vanishing Ice'.

All category winners and runners-up in the FMC Individual Supporters photo comp go through to the main FMC photo competition, the winners of which will be published in November's Backcountry.

The Backcountry Trust is open again for applications from community groups interested in maintaining backcountry huts and tracks on public conservation land in their local area.

Thanks to the generous donations from supporters and sponsors over the past 12 months, BCT has $40,000 available to allocate to groups over and above the work already agreed and funded by DOC.

Applications close on 30 September 2023. Priority will be given to groups applying who are wanting to maintain existing huts and tracks in the backcountry network and don't currently have an existing funding base for the work they want to do.

Apply for a grant here

For further information contact your local BCT project manager: North Island enquiries: megan.dimozantos@backcountrytrust.org.nz. South Island enquiries: rob.brown@backcountrytrust.org.nz.

This month we mark a wonderful occasion – the publishing of Victoria Bruce's book Adventures with Emilie.

Some of our readers might be familiar with the mother-daughter duo, who walked Te Araroa in 2021-22 and shared their dispatches from the trail on FMC's Wilderlife blog. While walking 2200 km across Aotearoa, Victoria and Emilie raised funds for FMC and the Mental Health Foundation, advocating for mental health and the protection of our wild places. 

The story of their journey intertwined with Victoria's reflections on her troubled and traumatic past has now crystallized in a book. FMC congratulates Victoria on this special occasion and hopes her story will reach and touch many. 

We look forward to seeing her book on shelves and in tramping packs!

Vanishing Ice, written by Lynley Hargreaves, tells the stories of our glaciers through the lens of human interaction, with chapters moving through time from first Māori discoverers to colonial explorers, mountaineers and modern glaciologists. This poignant book has been produced with support from the FMC Mountain and Forest Trust.

If you would like your own copy of Vanishing Ice, Potton and Burton are offering 20% discount to FMC club members and individual supporters.

New Plymouth Tramping Club will be celebrating their 50^th birthday starting August 2024. They will be running several events in August and September. Fun in the outdoors is a certainty.

To register interest, email: secretary@nptc.org.nz.

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

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

Visit our website, or contact Rebecca Gray at adverts@fmc.org.nz to place an ad.

FMC is keen to be more closely connected with our member clubs. As part of this, we are hosting a quarterly online 'club kōrero' where clubs can dial in for an hour to get an update on FMC happenings, and ask questions of the Executive.

Join us for our second kōrero on Wednesday, 1 November 2023 at 7.30pm. If you would like to attend, please RSVP to eo@fmc.org.nz.

Similarly, if there are items you would like to see on the agenda for discussion, please let us know so we can ensure we have the right information in front of us to answer your questions.