Trampers disappointed with DOC cuts

The Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand is disappointed with the funding cuts to the Department of Conservation that were announced yesterday. FMC President Peter Wilson stated that DOC is set to receive about $2 million dollars less than the previous year.

“For an organisation responsible for so much of our most precious land and species, as well as most of our tramping and mountaineering opportunities, these continual cuts are deeply disappointing".

"Instead of steadily increasing DOC's core funding, in light of its growing responsibilities and land area, it seems that DOC can now only beg for one-off funding boosts, such as to deal with the incoming predator invasion once the beech forests seed, and also with wilding pines in the high country"

Whilst the funding for Battle for the Birds and wilding pines is welcome, Mr Wilson stated that "One off funding increases are not an excuse for ongoing core funding cuts".

Mr Wilson stated that FMC, and other conservation organisations would be pushing hard for a real increase in DOC's budget for 2017.

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