The Carers Of Tongariro Forest Inc

08/03/2025

Hi Everyone
It has been some time since we have posted an update regarding the huts situation. We have been very busy working with DoC and a meeting with the Conservation board for the protection of the huts. You all have to understand the complexity of this situation, it is not as simple as saying leave them alone. We are doing our best to get these huts legitimized so that they have the protection that they need.
We are now working with a new DoC staff member Mike Christie. Mike and a colleague are going to undertake an assessment of all the huts in early May, as part of the process of getting them legitimized.
Mike and his colleague are there to help us so that we get the best possible outcome, they are very friendly and approachable people, please don't go abusing them, remember, they are there to help.
If there are any of you out there that is willing to help us out please get in touch, your help will be much appreciated
So in the meantime we will wait patiently, so look after the forest and keep the huts clean and tidy and free of rubbish and please be safe out there in the roar.

26/07/2024

A quick update on our progress with Doc.

Following our submission to our local MP (Suze Redmayne) earlier this year the Minister of Conservation (Tama Potaka) put a freeze on any plans to remove huts from the Forest and appointed Mitchell Black as our liaison in the department to work with us to get a Community Agreement in place. This would enable us to work with DoC to manage huts in the Forest.

Mitch has been a great help in our work but I guess none of us were surprised to find that anything to do with the DoC-managed Crown estate, including stewardship land, involves a mountain of documents, rules, regulations, policies, management plans and general red tape. At times it feels like one step forward, three back, but we're grinding our way through it all and remain hopeful of eventually achieving a positive outcome for the community.

At present we're awaiting advice on the role of the Conservation Board in reviewing the Conservation Management Strategy for the region and whether a specific Conservation Management Plan for Tongariro Forest is required. This topic has been successfully addressed in other Conservation regions and we believe that solutions found elsewhere in New Zealand could be used as a template for any revision of Taupo/Tongariro's somewhat dated 2002 Strategy document.

We are grateful for Mitch's ongoing support and for the advice we're receiving from organizations like The Back Country Trust, the Federated Mountain Clubs, NZ Deerstalkers Assn, etc. They've been through similar processes around the country and their input is a huge assistance.

We'll battle on and hopefully find that light at the end of the tunnel.

All so, if any of you out there are keen to jump on board and help us out with admin, sometimes there is a lot to do, and any extra help is always appreciated, so please don't hesitate get in touch.

Thank you all for your support.

24/05/2024

It has been a while since we have posted any information.
As you are aware, late last year we were blind-sided by DoC and there was a big campaign for immediate removal of all the huts in the Tongariro Forest. We wrote a very detailed letter to our local MP Suze Redmaine and the ministers of conservation and hunting and fishing asking for their support to put a stop to the removal. The result was hugely in our favour, DoC were told to immediately stop any hut removals and to get back in touch with us.

Since then we have had a detailed meeting about the whole situation, ultimately working in our favour. We confirmed that we hope to follow the same model as the Back Country Trust, where our community organisation " The Carers of Tongariro Forest '' would take on the responsibility of the huts to ensure their protection for future generations. DoC have agreed to this. For this to happen we have to formulate a community agreement with DoC. This initially sounded straight forward, but now we are stumbling across general red tape issues which are making this a lengthy process. We (and DoC) are confident we will get this legal requirement done but it's going to take some time.

That's a general overview of what has been happening and where we are at. As time progresses and more details are known we will keep you informed.

08/03/2024

Hi everyone
We had a meeting with DoC yesterday which resulted in real positive outcome.
Details coming soon, watch this space.

18/01/2024

Hi everyone
For the last three years we have been in discussion with DoC about the removal of the huts within the forest. It has been hard work keeping them there for this long. Unfortunately DoC has come on heavy and told us that five huts are going to be removed straight away.
There has also been a new hut built near the Waione stream, that may have forced DoC to make there decision. We had an agreement with DoC to leave the existing huts alone, but any new huts should be removed because there are already enough huts in there area. There are many reasons and a purpose why the existing huts should stay.
So, what we are doing is sending an email to our local MP and to the conservation minister and also the minister of hunting and fishing to explain the behaviour of DoC and how the people that use the forest are being treated.
It may take a couple of months to get a reply from these ministers, but when we do, I’m sure it will be in our favour. Until then we wait patiently.

02/12/2023

https://www.tongariro.org.nz/mahi-aroha-2023/avian-avoidance-training-owhango-2024

We are proud to support Save The Kiwi Trust and facilitate Kiwi Aversion Training in the Raetihi/Ohakune region. Kiwi Aversion Training is essential for dog owners to take their pets into public conservation land or to qualify for hunting dog permits and is one of the best ways for dog owners to pro

07/08/2023

Hi there everyone, bit of an update for you all.
Our relationship with DoC has grown quite a lot in the past six months. We are now having regular meetings with the local DoC representative which is really good, and having many discussions about the Tongariro Forest and having a community organisation like this helping out. The core group has become quite busy with a lot of admin work, which has lead us to the situation where we are needing a person to take on the role of treasurer/secretary.
If any one is keen or know of anyone that might like to take on this preferable from the Taumarunui area please get in touch with us.

Cheers

22/06/2023

Disrespectful people in our forest
Click on the link

1News can reveal multiple locations throughout the country are dealing with illegal felling in conservation land.

15/06/2023

It is ideal for hunting and farm dogs who are required to work in areas where kiwi and whio may be found. Dogs are trained one at a time, learn more about the process here: https://www.kiwiavoidancetraining.nz/

09/06/2023

The Avian aviodance training is on sunday 25th June. Click on the link for booking details.

It is ideal for hunting and farm dogs who are required to work in areas where kiwi and whio may be found. Dogs are trained one at a time, learn more about the process here: https://www.kiwiavoidancetraining.nz/