3. Explore in your own words the inherent conflict between recreation and conservation. Discuss what can be done about this conflict.
A few examples come to my mind after some good thought, all from first hand experience, the first being the Tongariro circuit.
While hiking the last leg of the track over the saddle between Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu you could experience the erosion from water running down the well used track, it had ripped the track apart, It was horrendous, some parts were so bad it felt you were walking through the grand canyon! Conservation was underway while I hiked through, contractors were building a massive board walk through this section of the track for recreation uses, it seemed at grate cost and very much needed on such a busy track.
When I moved to Greymouth this summer I volunteered with DOC, weeding and poisoning the pest ginger rampant in people’s yards around Greymouth and was lucky enough to help with locating and catching of the endangered Blue Duck.
We travelled up the Totara Valley Road then hiked up the Mikonui River. Using an aerial device we pointed and listened for a good strong beep, indicating where the ducks were. We caught the ducks by stringing a net across the river and it was my job to get in fast and stop them from sinking from the weight of the net and drowning. Once the ducks were caught we weighed them and removed the locator transmitters.
As I worked I rained down thousands of questions, the DOC workers answered as only someone who loved his job would. With the observations I took I came to the realisation; Conservation is very expensive and it seems ironic that a department that is there for the conservation of New Zealand’s native specie’s wouldn’t put more thought into the conservation of money. I can make this observation from volunteering with another (life) conservation department; St John Ambulance Service and relating the two.
St John’s looks after their volunteers, giving them pride and amazing training in the work they do and a lot of other benefits. I feel DOC could do the same, training outdoor recreational users giving them a uniform and a purpose, teaching them about conservation and making them conservation volunteers. This I admit would cost a lot to set up, but a DOC worker and a volunteer is cheaper then two DOC workers and it make’s conservation recreation.
One third of New Zealand is DOC land, I feel proud to live in a country that puts so much value into our amazingly beautiful one of a kind country. I hope this subject stays as one of the top subjects to talk and debate about so we can progress even more forward and stay a world leader in conservation.
All the above is my observations from my experience no study has gone into this writing and it is just an exploration of the topic. I would love to learn more about this to become more knowledgeable in such a great subject.
4. Identify five personal qualities that you bring to the programme and suggest how you will apply these to your learning.
1) Experience in life; knowing where I want to be in life is important in choosing my learning path.
2) Communication; outdoor recreation is a team based learning environment, communication is key to my progression.
3) Motivation; wanting to learn because I am studying what I love and enjoy is great motivation to move ahead in this programme.
4) Organisation; Keeping my mind and world organise is important to me and will aid in my progression in this course.
5) Fitness; I keep myself in top physical shape a great advantage to start Outdoor Recreation with.
5. Identify your short and long-term career goals, explain how you intend to achieve them, and how this programme will assist you achieve these goals.
Goal 1 (short term)
Finish the 2 year Outdoor Recreation programme to the best of my ability one day at a time.
Goal 2 (mid term)
Advance into a career in outdoor pursuits from the skills I have gained from this two year programme and share my love of outdoor pursuits and enthusiasm with others.
Goal 3 (long term)
Bike around the world fundraising for cancer, write a book of this adventure and myself. Outdoor Recreation will help me extensively in this goal from planning and organisation through to getting the right contacts.
This program will assist me by being my base plate of learning to move forward in the outdoor recreation industry, enjoying a life of adventure and reaching my goals.
6. Please indicate your involvement in work (full or part-time), club, organisations, teams or social activities.
Employer | Phone | Type of work | Date. From-to |
East Coast Apiaries (Gisborne NZ) | 027 272 6764 | Beekeeping | 11-03 to 03-04 |
Fisher Windows (Gisborne NZ) | 06 867 7936 | Aluminium fabrication | 03-04 to 06-06 |
Broad Spectrum (Australia) | +61 (0)8 9173 0911 | Mining contractor | 07-06 to 10-06 |
Yours Australian Bar (Germany) | +49 (0)69 282 100 | Bar man & food porter | 11-06 to 03-07 |
Broad Spectrum (Australia) | +61 (0)8 9173 0911 | Mining contractor | 06-07 to 12-07 |
Self employed (Australia) | 021 15 22 772 | Aluminium fabrication | 02-08 to 10-09 |
St John Ambulance (Australia) | +61 (0)8 9192 2533 | Volunteer advanced ambulance officer | 06-07 to 10-09 |
San Jon Stables (Switzerland) | +41 (0)81 864 10 | Stable hand | 04-10 to 10-10 |
DOC(Department of Conservation) (Greymouth) | 768 04 27 | Volunteer, weeder, helper | 01-11 to present |
7. What do the Cave Creek Memorial Scholarships commemorate and why were they established?
The cave creek scholarship commemorates the tragedy of 13 students from TPP and 1 DOC worker who died when a viewing platform collapsed falling 30 meters. Only 4 students survived. The scholarship was established to honour the 13 students who died in the tragedy.
I was 10 years old when this happened and it is still fresh in my mind and brings remorse. The feelings are very mutual when talking about this tragedy with friends and family because of this I felt it was important to visit Cave Creek.
When I arrived at Cave Creek and walked down the steps, the first feeling was the temperature dropping. On the hour walk to Cave Creek the feeling of remorse deepened in my chest. The combined feelings of my chest, the cool air and the knowing of what happened made the atmosphere very surreal.
As I walked to the site of the tragedy thoughts flushed through my mind. Why did this happen? How did they get help? What a horrible experience!
These thoughts brought me back to the experience of being with my mother when she died when I was fourteen. Watching her take slow deep breaths, hoping her to take another was too much. I asked the Paramedics if I could leave. They had asked me to stay and hold her head. If I am ever in such a situation again I would never leave.
Walking back along the creek bed I picked up stones that caught my attention until I had fourteen. Sitting down on a rock I plaited flax and every so often I incorporated a stone into the rope. Once I had three ropes and all fourteen stones where weaved into them, I hang the flax ropes on a piece of river wood making a mobile and commemorating in my own way all fourteen souls that had died. I hang the mobile in a tree at the Cave Creek site.
R.I.P
