Responsible Camping

Young international visitors who like to free camp on their travels around New Zealand are being targeted with an informative social media campaign this summer to encourage them to behave responsibly. The central message continues to be ‘Assume nothing – always ask’ before deciding to freedom camp. Two apps – Camping NZ and Campermate – offer excellent information, while i-SITE Visitor Information Centres and Department of Conservation Visitor Centres can also help. Find out more here.

Māori language app launched by the Department of Conservation

Confidence is on the way for people struggling with Māori words after a pronunciation app was launched.

The app, Te kete o Tāmaki Makaurau, was created by the Department of Conservation to help people identify places, animals and plants in the Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland region.

DoC spokeswoman Julie Kidd said the idea stemmed from her personal experience of feeling unconfident pronouncing Māori words. She wanted to improve and thought others might feel the same way.

"If you haven't been taught how to say them correctly in te reo it's quite overwhelming to be able to do that off the bat. The beauty of it is it speaks to you. It has given me confidence." Read more here.

Become a global fisheries scholar

Te Ohu Kaimoana (the Māori Fisheries Trust) and Japanese seafood company Nippon Suisan Kaisha (Nissui) are pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2018 Global Fisheries Scholarship.

We are looking for Māori who have studied or work in fisheries management, aquaculture, marine biology, business management and fisheries or food processing and are looking at a career in the seafood industry.  Applications close 5.00pm on Friday 10 February 2017. 

Tourism overload puts pressure on parks

Many a tramper will have experienced a moment like it: hot and tired at the end of a strenuous day, shoulders and knees aching, you’re comforted by the sight of a DOC hut ahead.  But the rows of boots outside the hut door soon deflate your spirits.  You get to the verandah, drop your pack, and peer inside.  The place is heaving, with all bunks seemingly spoken for.  Trampers packs’ and their contents fill nearly every available space.  If you haven’t packed a sleeping mat or a tent, an uncomfortable night awaits.

On popular routes, this scenario is becoming the norm.  On one level it is terrific that more people are getting to enjoy the splendour of a Kiwi backcountry experience.  The big drawback, however, is that the environment and infrastructure in many of our national parks – not all parks, for there are still plenty of lightly used wilderness areas in the conservation estate – are under intolerable pressure. Read more here.

NZ Hi-Tech Awards - six weeks until entries close

Entering the NZ Hi-Tech Awards can give you:
•    Public Recognition
•    Media coverage
•    Reward, retain and attract the best talent
•    Networking
•    Opportunity to refine your Value Proposition
•    Exposure to investors
•    Exposure to our world class line up of local and international judges

Entering the Awards is easy! Just choose the categories you want to enter. Also, for the first time you can also nominate other companies and individuals who you think should enter.

Lottery Marae Heritage and Facilities

Lottery Marae Heritage and Facilities provides grants for marae to develop, improve or restore their facilities, and to protect and conserve marae taonga.

This may include:

• projects to build, restore or repair wharenui, wharekai and/or wharepaku

• projects to build, restore or repair tangata whenua or manuhiri shelters, or whare waka  

• projects to protect and care for places, structures or taonga

• conservation plans for protecting and caring for marae buildings, structures or marae-owned taonga, or reports on their condition or upkeep

• studies to work out if planned projects are practical, feasible and fit the long-term vision for the marae and its people.

NZ Māori Tourism AGM

Due to the Kaikoura earthquake, NZ Māori Tourism's AGM was postponed until 15 February 2017. Following the AGM, the Annual Report will be sent to all members of NZ Māori Tourism who were unable to attend, and also be made available on our website. If you have any questions, please contact Lee Beazley, on 04 474 4682.