MEDIA RELEASE - For Immediate Release 8 March 2017

Nelson Tasman Cycle Trails Trust receives one of the six Walking Access Awards for 2016

Six of New Zealand’s champions of public access were recognised last night for their achievements in enhancing public access and offering new opportunities for New Zealanders to experience our great outdoors. The six were presented with awards at a parliamentary ceremony hosted by Associate Minister for Primary Industries Louise Upston.

The awards are an annual event organised by the New Zealand Walking Access Commission, and Commission chief executive Eric Pyle said the award winners’ efforts were representative of a growing grassroots movement developing trails and facilitating public access across our country.

“Thousands of New Zealanders have taken part in activities over the past year to help improve public access to our outdoors,” Mr Pyle said.

“From campaigners who helped us all buy a beach to add to our national park, to a volunteer trust opening a walking track that will be used by 60,000 in its first year, these six deserve particular recognition for their achievements.”

The Nelson Tasman Cycle Trust has worked for the past seven years to improve public access to the region’s outdoors. The two Great Rides under the auspices of the Trust – the 38km Dun Mountain Trail and the 100km Great Taste Trail – provide certain and enduring access for cycling, walking and commuting, sometimes to areas not previously accessible.

With more than 500 volunteers contributing to the Trust’s work, there are now links throughout the Nelson Tasman area to walkers, cyclists, community groups and others. Local secondary school students have contributed by helping to build bridges and cattle stops, and prisoners undertaking periodic detention have helped clear an area of bush to make room for a track.

The Trust is working on lengthening the Great Taste Trail (currently 116km long), into a full 175km loop track. The Trust’s work is also contributing to regional economic development, with trails following routes that include local food and wine producers, artists, and horticultural production. Increasing domestic and international tourism means more money flowing into the Nelson Tasman economy. The Trail is growing in popularity, with around 200,000 riders in 2016.

For more information on the 2017 Walking Access Commission Awards go to:

https://walkingaccess.govt.nz/latest-news/show/access-to-our-natural-heritage-celebrated-at-parliamentary-awards-ceremony/378/

To find out more about cycling in Nelson-Tasman go to:

www.heartofbiking.org.nz

www.facebook.com/cycletrails

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