Follow the outdoor code
If you are heading into the great outdoors this summer remember to act responsibly.
The New Zealand Walking Access Commission is encouraging New Zealanders to follow the Kiwi Way when accessing the outdoors this holiday season.
Commission chief executive Mark Neeson says free access to beaches, lakes, rivers and mountains is a wonderful part of our culture and it is important people are aware of how to behave responsibly.
‘‘Many thousands of New Zealanders will enjoy activities in the outdoors with family and friends these holidays,’’ Mr Neeson says.
The Commission has published the New Zealand Outdoor Access Code to help improve understanding of how to behave when accessing the outdoors.
Among its top tips are to always consider oth- ers, take care when using firearms or lighting fires, and ask permission before crossing private land.
An education website called Both Sides of the Fence has also been launched to help school children and their teachers understand different perspectives around access and its importance to the New Zealand way of life.
Mr Neeson says education was becoming increasingly important because a greater number of New Zealanders were growing up in cities and were not as exposed to rural life.
According to last year’s Colmar Brunton Walking Access Survey, 92 per cent of New Zealanders access the outdoors in a typical year.
Short walks, picnics and family outings are the most popular outdoor activities, followed by swimming, photography, fishing and camping.