Enjoy the outdoors this Waitangi Day weekend

Waitangi Day weekend is a truly New Zealand holiday, and a great time to make the most of the stunning outdoors our country has to offer.

The New Zealand Walking Access Commission would like to say a huge “thank you” to everyone who has worked together to enhance free, certain, enduring and practical access for the benefit of all New Zealanders. This includes land owners, local and central government, iwi, business, recreation groups and individuals who create and support outdoor access initiatives across the country.

New CE announced for NZWAC

Eric Pyle has been appointed as the new chief executive of the New Zealand Walking Access Commission.

Mr Pyle is the current chief executive of the New Zealand Wind Energy Association (NZWEA) and will take up his role at the Commission from 29 February.

Funding available for access projects

Projects to improve access to the New Zealand outdoors are invited to apply for funding through the second 2015-2016 funding round of the New Zealand Walking Access Commission’s Enhanced Access Fund.

Students encouraged to share top outdoor spots and win

Kiwi school children are encouraged to snap photos, draw pictures and share creative descriptions of their favourite outdoor places in the 2016 Top Outdoor Spot competition, which began this week.

New website helps people 'Follow the Kiwi Way'

New Zealanders and international visitors will soon be able to discover “the Kiwi way” online using a new website promoting responsible access to the outdoors.

Commission farewells champion of public access

The New Zealand Walking Access Commission sends its condolences to the family and friends of public access advocate Alan McMillan, who passed away recently in Dunedin after a period of illness.

We've come a long way from where we began

In this column New Zealand Walking Access Commission board member Barbara Stuart looks at how the Commission has changed in the time between her first board term (2008-2011), and her return last November.

Following the Kiwi Way

In this column departing New Zealand Walking Access Commission chief executive Mark Neeson shares his memories of the past seven years and discusses some of the challenges and opportunities for the future.

New field advisors for Auckland, Wellington and top of the South Island

Marlborough communications consultant Penny Wardle, West Coast outdoor aficionado Inger Perkins, Wellington tramper and mountaineer Chris Ward and Auckland walking enthusiast Dr Margaret Horsburgh have joined the Commission’s team of regional field advisors.

News from the field

‘News from the field’ provides a roundup of public access topics being worked on by the New Zealand Walking Access Commission’s regional field advisors. This month, we hear Geoff Holgate (Canterbury) and Margaret Horsburgh (Auckland).