Upper Clutha huts or tracks could be in line for additional maintenance and upgrades if funding for the ‘Community Hut Programme’ is applied locally.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) has received $4.2M from the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL) to work with the Backcountry Trust (BCT) and others to maintain highly-valued huts and tracks.

“The Community Hut Programme will support others to maintain huts and tracks on public conservation land through volunteer work and donated materials,” DOC heritage and visitors director Catherine Wilson said.

BCT national operations manager Rob Brown said DOC and BCT planned to work in partnership with the hunters, fishers, trampers and others who use DOC huts and tracks - and they want to hear from anyone with a project in mind.

A successful partnership spurred by government funding made possible a significant upgrade to Aspiring Hut - one of the DOC-managed huts in Mt Aspiring National Park - a few years ago.

First envisioned as an earthquake repair job with funding from the former Jobs for Nature programme, the project snowballed into a substantial upgrade for the popular hut after the New Zealand Alpine Club (NZAC) secured support from a range of donors.

The result is a future-proofed hut better equipped for the 3,000 or so bed nights it receives each year.

Catherine said DOC needed additional support to look after the vast area it maintains, which covers around a third of the country.

DOC experiences are in “high demand” from Kiwis and international visitors, she said. 

“This popularity, combined with remote locations and increasing climate change pressures, puts strain on the visitor network and creates high maintenance costs.”

“We want to deliver a shared backcountry network that connects people to nature through recreation and builds a collective commitment to the backcountry for future generations.”

Any groups or individuals with a project should get in touch with BCT to discuss and get more information.

PHOTO: NZAC