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Wellingtonians Urged To Enjoy Their Mountains
29 jul 2002You don?t have to be a mountaineer to enjoy Wellington?s mountains.
During Conservation Week (5-11 August) there will be many ways for people to take in the mountain backdrop to the Wellington Region.
Two of the easiest are to drive to the top of the Rimutaka Hill Road or take a trip out to Matiu/Somes Island to get a great view of the ring of peaks around Wellington Harbour.
?The snow that now covers the tops of the southern Tararua Range reminds us that we have real mountains on our doorstep,? Wellington Regional Council chairperson Margaret Shields said.
?Not only do they provide a wonderful scenic backdrop to the Wellington Region, but they are the source of our water supply and contain a diversity of forest and alpine plants and animals. We realise not everyone wants to climb mountains, especially in winter, but there are other ways of appreciating them.?
Guided tours of Matiu/Somes Island, four-wheel drive trips up Mount Climie near Upper Hutt, lunchtime talks at Wellington Cathedral, self guided walks, displays, exhibitions and alpine garden walks are among events planned by the Department of Conservation, Wellington Regional Council, city and district councils and other organisations to celebrate Conservation Week with its theme Ng? Maunga K?rero-the language of mountains.
?Our mountains and hills tell us a lot about who we are as New Zealanders,? Department of Conservation community relations officer Sally Airey said.
?We feel a connection to them; they are a great recreation source; we recognise their cultural, historic and spiritual significance; they define our landscape and we love them for their beauty and unique biodiversity.?
Conservation Week is co-ordinated by the Department of Conservation during the first week of August each year.
The annual Wellington Region Conservation Awards will be announced during the week and presented by the Minister of Conservation on August 7.
To find out more about Wellington?s high places and Conservation Week events check out the Department of Conservation website: http://www.doc.govt.nz.
ENDS
For further information and photo opportunities please contact:
Graham Laws,Landcare Planner, Wellington Regional Council. Telephone: 04 384 5708.
Sally Airey, Community Relations Officer, Poneke Area Office, Department of Conservation. Telephone: 04 472 5821.
Wellington Conservation Week events:
Matiu/Somes Island guided walks, 3 August.
Times: 11.15am and 1.15pm from Visitor Centre, Matiu/Somes Island.
Transport: East By West Ferry. Please arrange and pay own ferry transport. Check out Saturday?s timetable by phoning 494 3339 or 499 1282.
Details: Wear warm clothing and sturdy shoes. Bring your lunch. If wet the tour will be postponed until Sunday 4 August. Listen to the Breeze or Newstalk ZB on the hour.
Contact: DOC phone 025 688 7643 (weekend contact)
Percy?s Reserve guided walks around Alpine Collection, 4 August
Times: 11am and 1.30pm from Percy?s Reserve
Where: State Highway 2, 1 km north of Korokoro lights, Lower Hutt
Otari Bush Reserve guided walks around Alpine garden, 10 August
Times: 10am and 11.30am from Otari Bush Reserve Visitors Centre
Where: Wilton Road, Wilton, Wellington
Guided 4WD trips to Mt Climie, 11 August
Times: Trips will run at 10am, 11.30am, 1pm and 2.30pm.
Where: Meet at the top car park, Tunnel Gully Recreation Reserve
Details: Four 4WD vehicles available with one driver/interpreter per vehicle giving 16 places per trip. No pre bookings, as people turn up, we will fit them on the next available trip.
Contact: WRC Upper Hutt depot phone 526 4133 (weekday contact, office hours)
Self guided Rimutaka Trig Track Walk
Where: Rimutaka Trig Track, Rimutaka Hill Road (signposted approximately 300m south of the summit.)
Details: Pick up a brochure from the summit tearooms to help you on this 45 minute, return self-guided walk to see alpine vegetation and wonderful views.
Wear warm clothing and sturdy footwear.
No booking, no charge for trips.
Exhibitions
Five Art Installations, 1-4 August
Wellington Institute of Technology students have designed five art installations around Wellington. For location details refer to the website or contact .
Gallery Exhibition, 9-18 August
Where: ?Gallery 52? on Willis Street, Wellington
Details: The exhibition showcases the students? work and documents the creation and installation of the five designs through a range of media
Mountain displays and information:
Te Papa Museum ? Visit the Awesome Forces and Mountains to Sea exhibition and the Maori Discovery Centre to learn how to mihi (acknowledge) mountains and read about the legend of Tangi te Keo (Mount Victoria).
Wellington Cathedral: Molesworth Street – Conservation Week displays – A collection of displays by Wellingtons? conservation groups ? who are they, what are they doing, how can you get involved?
Wellington?s Mountains ? Photographic display ? View at the Wellington Cathedral, Molesworth Street; Westfield Queensgate, Lower Hutt; Coastlands Shoppingtown, Paraparaumu, and North City Plaza, Porirua, from Saturday, August 3 to Sunday August 11.
Lunch time talks
Where: Cathedral Molesworth Street in the loaves and fishes
When: 12.05 ? 1pm every week day during conservation week (5-9 Aug)
The talks address many aspects of our mighty mountain from plants and habitat to meaning and menace. Speakers include Hugh Logan (DoC) and John Dawson
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Conservation Week is co-ordinated by the Department of Conservation and is held during the first week of August every year.
To support the United Nations 2002 ?International Year of Mountains? the Department is celebrating mountains and hills during Conservation Week this year.
The Department?s nation-wide theme for Conservation Week 2002 is Ng? Maunga K?rero-the language of mountains.
The IYM objectives are:
To ensure present and future well-being of mountain communities by promoting conservation and sustainable development in mountain areas
To increase awareness of and knowledge on mountain ecosystems, their dynamics and functions, and their overriding importance in providing a number of strategic goods and services essential to the well-being of both rural and urban, highland and lowland people, particularly water supply and food security
To promote and defend cultural heritage of mountain community societies, and
To pay attention to frequent conflicts in mountain areas and promote peace-making in those regions.
The Department has adapted these objectives to apply to the local context. Activities and events will be organised during Conservation Week with these adapted objectives in mind:
To ensure the well-being of mountain populations by focusing on selected mountain communities and their indigenous inhabitants, e.g. native alpine plants and insects, kea, takahe, the great spotted kiwi, beech forest, skinks.
To focus on mountain ecosystems, their dynamics and function (mountains to sea continuum), and their importance for people (water, climate, cultural and spiritual, landscape and identity, recreation).
To consider the challenges and opportunities of recreation and tourism ? the conflicts relating to the use of alpine environments and ways of dealing with these.
To acknowledge the cultural significance of mountains for Maori and Pakeha.
To promote the arts ? mountains as depicted in visual arts, photography, carving, story telling, literature and other art forms.
To promote understanding and awareness of culture and heritage ? traditional knowledge and the protection of heritage values and local culture.
To promote the concept that every community identify with their own mountain (albeit a humble hill) and apply the philosophy and objectives of the IYM to this area.
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