FMC President Robin McNeill is elated that New Zealanders have reached into their pockets to buy a piece of land for addition to Abel Tasman National Park. The Givealittle crowd funding campaign was recently successful in its quest to raise $2 million to submit a tender on the Awaroa property.

“I have walked this piece of piece of beach before when tramping the Abel Tasman Great Walk and felt the sand between my toes. It is fantastic that New Zealanders have come together to raise funds to add it to the National Park”.

“People reaching into their own pockets like this just shows how much New Zealanders care about conservation, freedom of access and our network of National Parks and Great Walks”.

“Unfortunately the Department of Conservation was unable to purchase this piece of land because of funding constraints. DOC only receive $315 million dollars from the government to run 1/3 of New Zealand. That works out to be around $35 for every rugby field worth of land area. All things being equal, DOC will only have $260 to control pests, maintain tracks and provide facilities to this new piece of National Park every year”

The Government tell us that the economy is growing and tourism is booming with increasing visitors coming to enjoy our natural spaces. We are told that tourism has overtaken dairy as our No 1 export income earner.  DOC is well over due for a raise so it can continue to protect our special places, like Awaroa Beach.

FMC hopes that the owners of the property accept the tender offer from New Zealanders for the purchase of the property, and that DOC makes it an addition to the Abel Tasman National Park so that future generations can enjoy the piece of land, its natural peace and quiet, and its intrinsic values.