Trampers, farmers in step over report

5:00AM Thursday March 08, 2007
By Paula Oliver  and Mike Houlahan

Original article in the herald 

Farmers and tramping groups marched in step yesterday, praising the walking access report for endorsing a negotiated approach for people wanting to enjoy the great outdoors.

Federated Farmers were pleased the panel ditched "right to roam", instead favouring an access commission to negotiate agreed routes for trampers across public land.

Federated Mountain Clubs said such a commission would ensure public access to publicly owned land.

"The panel's proposals are well thought out and achievable," Federated Mountain Clubs president Brian Stephenson said.

"We are delighted with the outcome, and we think the whole thing is good news for everyone."

Trampers and farmers had previously been at loggerheads over using farm tracks to get to scenic locations. Most clubs arrange use of private land before trips, and Federated Farmers spokesman Bruce McNab said most farmers welcomed visitors.

Craig Ryburn, chief guide with the Victoria University Tramping Club, said student trekkers generally encountered few access problems, but in some places getting to tracks was becoming an issue.

"It is something that needs to be looked at because it is getting worse."

Mr Ryburn had had few problems with farmers, although on one tramp in the Ruahine ranges a farmer had used a chainsaw to fell poles meant to mark an access route.

"I think it's a minority of people, who are more naive to the situation than anything, who tend to spoil it," Mr Ryburn said.

"I can sometimes see the farmer's point of view, but at others times I can't see the issue with five or six people wandering across their land to get access into somewhere. Most people who go through aren't going to cause damage to fences and will leave the gates as they found them."

Hugh Barr, secretary of the council of outdoor recreation associations, said in the short term nothing would change for trampers, but in the long-term, maps showing access to public land should be more readily available.

He hoped the panel's proposals could mean better access for trampers to beauty spots, especially to forest parks and some coastal tracks.

"With a public access commissioner there's a chance he may actually get around and chat to people and see if there isn't some room for movement in these sorts of things," Mr Barr said.

"In significant places where public access is blocked at present, then negotiations might be able to come up with better compromises than we have."

Dissent over public access

A member of the independent panel which examined land access issues has broken away from its recommendations - saying they do not go far enough.

Bryce Johnson, an advocate for anglers and outdoor recreationists, said: "It [the access commission] cannot negotiate from a position of strength and cannot guarantee an outcome when other parties refuse to negotiate."

Mr Johnson said yesterday he had filed a minority view to the panel's final report and pointed out that he was the only member of the panel with an outdoor recreation advocacy background and all the other members had identified "rural" connections.

People wanted a "champion" for public access and so the agency should have the authority to pro-actively initiate and settle, and determine new and "lost" access rights.

Mr Johnson urged the Government to address situations where landowners "unreasonably" retained rights of veto over public access.

- Paula Oliver