New Zealand's Fiordland National Park Strategy 2016

Posted 6th March 2016 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

Last Fridays Edition of the Southland Times evokes some comment I think.
With budget airfares bringing more young people with very little or no spending money to NZ we have to
consider how we deal with them to keep them out of trouble. The Department of Conservation has been great at
providing budget campsites on an industrial scale but there are no real Budget Walks of Boat Trips in our National Parks.

It is worth mentioning that our Government has been actively cutting back maintenance services to Lesser Tracks and Huts
and that all the promotional focus has been on Great Walks big name hikes.

Also in this region the call for a proper Winter Track in Fiordland has been dismissed, forcing people into the Alpine Danger Zones

To me the sad thing is that we once promoted “People in Parks” as a national pastime now we only get Rich People in Parks,
and young people or working kiwis and guest workers are left out in the cold by our so called representatives.   

Louis and Lemieux died on the Jackson Peaks for several reasons. One should not be because they had a desire for adventure.

Stock Market Gitters in Heartland NZ ?

Posted 14th of February 2016 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill NZ

Looking at the Stock Market slumping again one has to admit Life is not always fair, it is funny that it is usually people who for the top end of the heap get overlooked
What happens when you sell your farm and you need to reinvent yourself with only a Bag full of Money to live on?
It no laughing matter  no one cares that it’s impossible to find a stable investment portfolio to put all your money in.
You can always buy a nice lifestyle Block in the Southern Lakes Region and Graze Lawn Tractors, tourism is way too seasonal
And darn hard work. Yes you can buy a Big shed to Put your Trophy Boat behind your trophy house for occasional trout chasing for dinner but that’s not as lucrative as it seems.
Even grouching at “poor people” for being lazy “takers” with a pension for finding bad luck seems a fruitless pastime.
These Affluent people are a endangered breed and should be treated with great reverence as they came from a time when hard work was rewarded and they had parents who passed farms on to their Children,
If not, University was free and the State was like a caring thoughtful uncle. Toughen up and She’ll be right worked well then.
Today our investments do all the real earning instead of elbow grease and it somehow it makes people grouchy, maybe because we know from history, time and again it can vanish in a flash. And who do we blame? and how can we toughen up then?

New Zealand Tourism Strategy... or not

Posted 14th February 2016 to the Dominion Post Newspaper Wellington NZ

 Reading the Fairfax news that the Department of Conservation is Straining to keep up with the Tourism Boom with its slimmed down Budget from our Government
I think the Minister in Charge should put up or get out of the way and let the Department built it’s own Tourism Industry...
It’s Staff get almost no incentives from the great boom in tourism, they do no get to be part of it nor does the Department as a whole.
Lots of DOC staff are University Educated now and can come up with great innovations if allowed.. They are wasted on Cleaning Toilets for low budget Campervan patrons.
Imagine if Fontera was run like that?  and yet Tourism has surpassed them. Good tourism needs real smart and creative people.. And smart people can not live on thin air and promises!

 

The SS United States Recycled ? 2016 annoucement

Posted to the New York Times Newspaper 6th February 2016

I find it surprising that Crystal Cruises is considering modernizing the Nations mothballed Flagship Liner the SS United States to go cruising again
Instead of turning it into a floating luxury Hotel at Red Hook...
Someone pointed out that transporting one passenger on a Cruise Liner uses 3 times more fuel than a Jet Airliner and one wonders if this form of transport has had its day ?

Still it will look better than all those ugly looking Floating Hotels called Cruise ships we have today and that is worth something. I don’t suppose American Workers will employed to restore the Old Girl ?
They will Probably drag her off to China for that..

When the SS United States conservancy recently announced a possible new Lease of life there was some speculation that Donald Trump might have taken the sly opportunity to step in and make the United States Great Again!

As usual and Ironically it turned out to be our Asians friends. 

National Horse Treking Trail for NZ ?

Posted 3rd of February 2016 to the Christchurch Press Newspaper Canterbury NZ

The Question:  Is there any reason why the Te Aroa National Trail the runs the Length of NZ should not be upgraded to take Horse Trekkers ?
Horse Travel was the Traditional Form of Travel in NZ in our Early Days, should we not factor that into our National Trail System
They might need better Bridges than Mountain Bikes but horses need less expensive trails to walk on... And they flatten the weeds way better than boots or Bikes!
There are less and less places for Trekkers to Ride every day.. I recon it would be good to give them shared National Trail..

 

Cycle the Te Aroa Trail ? Te Anau NZ

Posted 3rd February 2016 to the Southland Times Newspaper Invercargill

It should say something about Roger Hodgkinson’s  Front Page Cycle Trail Proposal  of Jan 25th to make the Round the Mountain Trail a More Southland Friendly Option.
There is no doubt that Te Anau is Southland’s Tourism Hub and it seems bizarre that it was not included in the current discussion on the National Trail Network.
I think that if Roger’s Trail Spur Idea can not be taken seriously by the Southland District than is might be an Idea to use it as a Riding and Hiking Trail as there are increasingly fewer opportunities for Horse Trekking in the Area.
Come to think of it the Te Aroa Trail that runs down the Nation’s spine and the Mararoa River Catchment could be converted to Riding and Hiking  perhaps with a spur trail  over the Takatimu Mountains.
Trying to keep a Cycle trail up to International Standards with Horse Traffic is very problematic but is not a big issue on a walkway. Especially the Te Aroa Section down the Mararoa which is said to be quite overgrown.

Department of Conservation NZ: Cycling

Posted February 2nd 2016 to the Dominion Post Newspaper Wellington NZ

Years ago our Department of Conservation Rule- makers  thought they could write Rules for the use of our National Parks in Stone.
This was a noble thought for our National Parks to be held in higher regard than the members of the public but sometimes thing got a little out of hand
with Puritanical Ideas. The Idea of Cycling in our Parks seemed repugnant to someone in those days as bringing along with Dogs and Shot Guns on a hike.
But Now times have Changed and the Idea that some parts of some National Parks should be set aside for Cycleways.. And there is a movement that a review of the Rules should be undertaken.
But Perhaps that is not needed as the System currently allows Wheeled Vehicles under permit it seems. I think the Department could with in its own rites  Issue a “Bike Pass” permit for selected parks for a modest price,
covering not just new trails but suitable walking tracks in the Off Season or Special Events...It could help pay some maintenance bills. just a suggestion but Perhaps the Minister in charge might have some helpful comments ?