Fiordland Trails Trust: Difference between revisions
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The FIORDLAND TRAILS TRUST, New Zealand, was formed in March 2007, and is an Organisation, with Charitable and Donee Status. The Group was set up in response to the need for a Recreational Cycleway linking the Towns of Manapouri and Te Anau[1], much of which has high scenic and recreational values. The Trust aims to establish a regional Trail Network link up, of existing trails In the Fiordland and Northern Southland area.
1st Press Release
The Fiordland Focus ran an article on July 4th 2007 announcing the formation of the Fiordland Trails Trust under the guidance of Diana Zadravec of Venture Southland and Warwick Cambridge of Preston Russell Law.
the Mission Statement
The mission statement of the Trust group is: 'To promote, plan, fund, develop and establish a functional and high quality interconnected network of trails for walking, hiking, cycling, mountain biking, horse riding and any similar non-motorised recreational leisure activities covering the area of Te Anau, Fiordland (including the Mavora Lakes) Southland, New Zealand as the Trustees in their absolute discretion shall determine (called “the Trail”) whenever such Trail will contribute to the social, cultural, environmental or economic wellbeing of residents or visitors to that area; .'
The Fiordland Trails Trust is working with trail-focused community groups such as the Wakatipu Trails Trust[2], and the Tuatapere Tracks Group,[3][4] to create a contiguous trail network that is expected to become a popular tourism draw-card, bringing considerable economic benefits to New Zealand Tourism, and facilitating further natural improvements such as native birdlife restoration.
Conception
The project was initiated by Mike McConachie and Aaron Nicholson[5], both Motor Camp operators from Manapouri who desired a local walking track to link with the Kepler Track since 1991. They became a founding members of the Trust Aaron Nicholson is known as an advocate for nature protection and conservation twice being nominated for the Southland Conservation Board as well as the Manapouri Community Development Association. At the same time Shaun Cantwell a Te Anau teacher from Fiordland College was working to get the community interested in the idea of a local cycle track to the same destination.
The Current Trustees
David Prendergast (Chair), Andy MacDonald (Vice Chair), Megan Willians (Treasurer), Shaun Cantwell (Acting Secretary), Aaron Nicholson , Bob Meek, Craig Ireland, Lucy Bellerby, Dave Kelly, Dr Steve Hoskings.
A 'Friends of the Fiordland Trails Trust' campaign was recently mooted to expand the group's membership and to increase support for better quality Human interaction with the Fiordland National Parks recreational assets.
Feasibility Study
In May 2010 Southern Land CKL of Wanaka put out a 12 page Feasibility study for the 28 km Manapouri-Te Anau Cycleway indicating that an International Standard grade 2 Cycleway would be expected to cost in the region of 1.2 Million.
Trail Survey Route
Since 2007 the survey line route on the Manapouri end of the Manapouri-Te Anau Cycleway project has been maintained by several local residents making it possible to walk from the Kepler Track exit at Rainbow Reach to the Centre of the Manapouri Township, Via two Famous Lord of the Rings Movie locations on the Anduin Reach, crossing the Supply Bay Road and following the Manapouri lake shore to Post Office Rock and Fraser’s Beach. However it should be noted that the Department of Conservation is not involved in the maintenance or administration of this trail.
References
[http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:NkV5oF5lKCEJ:www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/getting-involved/nz-conservation-authority-and-boards/conservation-boards-by-region/southland/scb-minutes-aug-09.pdf+Te+Anau+board+Cycle+Trail&hl=en&gl=nz&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESixTESaBlLNczLyzvAcEMc9ezjT4QemL02iFm6WlM2VHw5vtEjPgm2nqvVK59cFjon9WUjESUwJufmECNF0-nGtixcOzxj9RZZLQC0WvWsZtjQmBn7ArprtHdquaP-zexJN3AlG&sig=AHIEtbRaNLVYwJuUcK4CRLqba1GHdMD9SA [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] {http://www.pipeworkz.com/Advocate/Fiordland%20Advocate%20-%20Pg%203%20-%20Mar6.jpg}
