Photo: Forest & Bird
The Conservation Minister is removing a controversial clause in a proposed law that would allow more conservation land to be sold.
The bill has been described as the biggest change to conservation management in decades, with proponents saying it removed red tape and modernised how public conservation land was managed.
One of the proposed changes would have allowed for the sale of an extra 2.8 million hectares of conservation land, on top of the 2.4 million hectares of stewardship land that was already eligible for sale.
But that has now been ruled out by Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.
Also in this week’s outdoor news: New film documents 100 days exploring new rivers in Fiordland, new track to Asbestos Cottage now open, $2 million funding boost to control invasive wasps and more.
Missed yesterday’s feature? See which five hiking pants stand above the rest in our 2026 guide to hiking pants.
Featured Book
Under the Weather
This must-read book untangles how we know what the future holds and why it matters to our everyday lives. It looks at NZ’s increasingly frequent natural disasters, warming and acidifying waters, the creep of rising sea levels, and the ways that the changing weather will affect our agriculture, lifestyle, food security and economy.
Subscribers get a 10% discount.
I spy with my little eye
Sue Graham on a fungi-finding mission
For some Walk1200km participants, the sights they see along the way power their walking journey as much as the distances they cover. We talked with three walkers to learn more.
Current Issue - July/August 2026
Shine a light on Cape Brett - Northland’s best weekend walk, discover winter magic in the high country, embark on a loop of Rakiura’s untamed south-west, six mapped trip reports, gear guides and dozens more articles!
Hut of the week 🏡
Photo: Brian Dobbie
Philip J Cox Memorial Hut, Silverpeaks Scenic Reserve
The 4-bunk Philip J Cox Memorial Hut sits at the edge of a grassy clearing in the Silverpeaks Scenic Reserve. It’s easily accessible in three to four hours by walking the recently completed River Track, less than an hour’s drive outside Dunedin.
The hut was built in 2012 in memory of keen tramper and Dunedin oral surgeon Philip Cox, who died in a car accident in 2009, aged 58. He had introduced his children and many others to the joys of tramping in the Silverpeaks, and was always aware of how dangerous it could be on the exposed ridges, as the weather in the area can change quickly.
A trust was formed after his death with donations from friends, family and colleagues, and these, along with a contribution from DOC, funded the hut. It was built to replace the 49-year-old Yellow Hut, which was located about 250m away on Yellow Ridge.
Have a hut you want to see featured? Send an email to [email protected] with which hut and why you’d like to see it featured.
Want to receive fewer emails? Did you know you can select the days of the week you receive Wilderness Daily? Update your preferences here.
