Could the answer to clogged toilets and a lack of funding for popular hiking tracks be well a POO-R-CODE or a virtual honesty box? Earlier this week, DOC was forced to close the popular Mueller Hut Route on Aoraki Mount Cook to day trippers because the toilets were almost full. In a briefing to government, DOC 's repeatedly sounded the alarm over funding saying it cant afford to maintain its assets, visitor congestion's an issue and its time to consider more user charges. Some listeners told Checkpoint they had tried to leave a koha or donation for trail up keep, but there was no eazy way to do that. However, a local business could have the solution, EZE director Wayne Campbell speaks to Lisa Owen. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default default/index.html?videoId=6347301078112
Is it time DOC introduced user pays charges for all Aotearoa's national parks great walks and conservations estates including for day trippers? At the moment, overnight adventurers pay to use huts, but for casual day hikers, access to these costly assets is free. A briefing to the Conservation Minister repeatedly sounds the alarm, DOC can't afford to maintain its assets, visitor congestion is an issue, curent fees dont reflect the cost of maintaining huts and tracks and its time to consider more users charges and raising existing charges. Just this week, toilets close to capacity on the Mueller Hut Route on Aoraki Mount Cook forced DOC to close the track to day trippers. In response, a flood of listeners contacted Checkpoint to say user pays is the answer to funding conservation infrastructure. Conservation Minister Tama Potaka speaks to Lisa Owen. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default default/index.html?videoId=6347231373112
More New Zealanders are getting into the great outdoors this summer than ever before, with campers and hikers making a beeline for the Abel Tasman National Park.
The upper South Island, site of the Abel Tasman National Park, is extremely busy, DOC says.
Photo: RNZ / Tracy Neal
Data from the Department of Conservation shows some regions are busier than they were before Covid-19.
DOC s director-general, Lou Sanson, said places within three hours drive of major population centres were experiencing high visitor growth, despite no international tourists.
Northland, Coromandel and the upper South Island were especially busy.
Tōtaranui in the Abel Tasman National Park was the country s most popular campsite, with more than 42,000 bed nights booked between the start of December and the end of February.