Multi-use trails: When and where they work

Tēnā koe

In this month’s newsletter

• Last week’s hui on multi-use trails: When and where they work
• Join our map of trailmaker groups in NZ

• Dates for Trailmakers hui 2025

Multi-use trails: When and where they work

Thank you to everyone who attended last week’s trailmakers hui with Ric Balfour (Thames Mountain Bike Club and TrailFund NZ) and David Boniface (Fiordland Trails Trust). They discussed the opportunities and constraints for designing, building, and maintaining multi-use trails. They also examined the impacts of these trails on the land, the perception of conflict between different recreational activities and how to manage expectations.

Did you miss last week’s hui — or want to see it again?

A big thank from Herenga ā Nuku you to our presenters – the Trailmakers Hui has now been running for 3 years!

The Trailmakers Hui is led by volunteers, members of trail groups, and representatives of the outdoor recreation sector. Herenga ā Nuku regional field advisors and staff have supported it.

The hui presenters donate their time, resources and knowledge because they are passionate about trailmaking. Herenga ā Nuku would like to acknowledge and thank those who helped make the hui a success – Ngā mihi!

Balancing different forms of outdoor activities

Herenga ā Nuku advocates for multi-use pathways as a part of our support for active transport and outdoor recreation. Multi-use paths for cyclists, walkers, horse riders and other active transport users help connect communities to shops, schools, recreational areas and other local resources. They also connect people and make for stronger communities. However, multi-use paths must be well designed so that walkers, bikers, e-bikers, horse riders and others can all share the space safely. Sometimes, they are not viable.

Herenga ā Nuku’s role is securing legal access to the outdoors. We are not funded to build or maintain tracks. Trail building groups must follow track design and safety standards set by the relevant agency, such as councils or the Department of Conservation. When we secure new public access, we attempt to include multiple modes of outdoor recreation and transport into the terms of the easement, where it is viable. Sometimes, this is not possible — sometimes, the terrain or the circumstances will not make a multi-use pathway safe or appropriate. But, where it is appropriate, multi-use pathways are our preferred option.

Principles that Herenga ā Nuku applies when balancing different forms of outdoor activities

Trailmakers Map - Ngā Kaihanga Ara

Please add your name and data to our map of trailmaker groups in NZ.

The map now features over 40 groups from around the country. It briefly describes them and their work, shows where they are, and provides information on how best to contact them. This map is specifically for community volunteer groups that are building or maintaining trails and outdoor access.

Hui members frequently want to contact each other. This map enables people to connect with other community trailmaker groups and to see where they sit geographically within a national network. 

To add your name to the public map, complete this short form.

Get support

Herenga ā Nuku regional field advisors are a great first port of call when you have trail-building questions. They’re an incredible wealth of knowledge and will point you in the right direction.

Our website also has a lot of information. If you can’t find a resource you want, please get in touch with me.

2025 online hui dates

Our 2025 Trailmakers hui dates are as follows:

• Thursday, 20 February, 12pm to 1pm
• Thursday, 22 May, 12pm to 1pm
• Thursday, 28 August, 12pm to 1pm
• Thursday, 20 November, 12pm to 1pm

We will announce the topic and send invites closer to the date. 

I’d love you to share your group’s on-the-ground knowledge in a future meeting. If you have an idea for a topic, please let me know. I’m happy to help you put together a presentation.

Hei konā mai,

Bernice Prakash