A wide range of outdoor recreation knowledge and expertise is represented in the membership of the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Recreation Council announced by SPARC Chair John Wells.
The council will play a crucial role in advising SPARC on strategic and investment decisions relating to outdoor recreation.
Mr Wells is delighted with the calibre of the council which will be chaired by Stu Allan, with the other members being Graeme Dingle, Annie Dignan, Dave Bamford, Paul Wilson and Rob Greenaway.
"These are New Zealanders with an extensive range of experience in the outdoor recreation sector. They bring a wide range of skills including governance, practical field experience, commercial acumen, and leadership.
"The Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Recreation Council was established in response to calls from across the sector for an independent body to provide leadership on a coordinated strategy for outdoor recreation. I am confident the council will deliver on those expectations," said John Wells.
"I am also delighted to have Sir Edmund's name associated with this new entity. This gives the Council the mana and profile the outdoor recreation sector deserves", Mr Wells said.
The Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Recreation Council will be serviced by SPARC. Among the council's roles will be to provide leadership and advice on:
- Promoting participation in outdoor recreation.
- Developing greater capability in outdoor recreation.
- Decisions on investment in outdoor recreation organisations.
- Developing a strategic sector-wide approach for outdoor recreation.
- Fostering improved collaboration and coordinated planning within and between the outdoor recreation sector and other relevant sectors.
- Raising the profile of the positive values and impact of outdoor recreation.
SPARC CEO Peter Miskimmin says the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Recreation Council will provide the leadership focal point the outdoor recreation sector has been calling for. He said it will have a vital role to play.
"One of the key findings of the SPARC outdoor recreation review conducted over 2007/08 was that nearly three quarters of New Zealanders want to increase their overall participation in outdoor recreation.
"It would be highly appropriate that an organisation with Sir Edmund's name be charged with helping kiwis, particularly young people, reconnect with the great outdoors," said Mr Miskimmin.
SPARC is the government agency charged with promoting, encouraging and supporting sport and physical recreation in New Zealand. For more information, visit www.sparc.org.nz.
Background Information
Biographies of council members
Stu Allan (Chair)
Stu Allan has decades of experience in outdoor recreation. In the 1970's he was a mountain guide and instructed climbing, cold survival, kayaking, and bush craft. He was director of the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre 1979-1986 as well as managing other organisations including AFS Intercultural Programmes. Stu is currently an outdoors consultant and a writer. He is a keen rock climber, mountaineer, tramper and mountain biker.
Graeme Dingle
Graeme Dingle is a mountaineer, adventurer and writer. He has founded and served as chief executive of several organisations including the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Pursuits Centre and The Project K Trust (now the Foundation for Youth Development). He is also the founding chairman of the New Zealand Outdoor Assembly. He has completed numerous mountaineering, rock climbing and adventuring firsts throughout the world, chronicling these in numerous articles, essays, two dozen adventure films and ten books.
Annie Dignan
Annie Dignan has a mix of practical and theoretical experience in the outdoors, spanning over 20 years. She is currently working as Research and Evaluation Programme Manager for the NZ Mountain Safety Council. Annie has been an active outdoor educator with a wide range of groups for many years. This has included her role as a lecturer in Applied Theory and Practice at the School of Physical Education at the University of Otago, managing a diverse range of outdoor experiences for students involved in the P.E. degree. Annie has been on the executive of Education Outdoors New Zealand, Mountain Safety Council and Outdoors New Zealand. She is also a keen tramper, skier and mountain biker.
Dave Bamford
Dave Bamford is a founding director of Tourism Resource Consultants with over 30 years experience in sustainable tourism development throughout Asia, the Pacific, New Zealand and Chile. His skills include business development, parks and recreation planning and management, team leadership and impact assessment. He was President of the New Zealand Alpine Club from 2003 to 2005 and is a mountaineer, skier, sailor, fly fisher and mountain biker.
Paul Wilson
Currently the Chairman for the Asia Pacific region for the International Federation of Parks and Recreation, and General Manager Community Services Queenstown Lakes District Council. Paul Wilson has a wide range of outdoor recreation experience through his work with DoC and Local Government in Outdoor Recreation. Recreation pursuits include snow sports, cycling, tramping and sailing.
Rob Greenaway
A consultant recreation planner with over 20 years professional experience and an active member of the New Zealand Recreation Association. Rob has a diverse background including journalism, event management, outdoor recreation research, and recreation planning and impact assessment for territorial authorities and for private developers. He is regularly called as an expert witness for RMA hearings. Outdoor recreation pursuits include sailing, kayaking and walking.
Questions and Answers
What will be the role of the Hillary Outdoor Recreation Council?
The Council is charged with:
- Providing advice to SPARC about:
- developing a strategic sector-wide approach for outdoor recreation;
- promoting participation in outdoor recreation;
- developing greater capability in delivering outdoor recreation services;
- decisions about investment in outdoor recreation organisations; and
- promoting and disseminating research relevant to outdoor recreation.
- Providing information and guidance to support specific programmes and interventions identified in the national outdoor recreation strategy;
- Fostering improved collaboration and coordinated planning and practice within and between relevant sectors;
- Managing relationships with key stakeholders in outdoor recreation and the process for sector consultation and input on outdoor recreation matters;
- Raising the profile of the positive values and impact of outdoor recreation; and monitoring and reporting on the implementation of the outdoor recreation strategy.
The council may also advise on other matters that the Chief Executive of SPARC and the council agree will be required to achieve the objectives and tasks of the council.
Why is there a need for the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Recreation Council?
There is a strong call from the sector itself for the establishment of a body to provide the sector with leadership and to act as a unifying organisation.
SPARC undertook a review of the outdoor recreation sector over 2007/08 consulting a wide range of organisations. A subsequent discussion document published in July 2008 received 61 submissions from outdoor recreation organisations, territorial authorities, government agencies and departments and individuals.
A significant number of submitters including the New Zealand Recreation Association, Outdoors New Zealand, and Fish and Game New Zealand called for the creation of a new body to provide leadership on a coordinated strategy for outdoor recreation.
How was the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Recreation Council established and how will it operate?
The Hillary Outdoor Recreation Council has been established as an advisory committee by the Board of SPARC and does not have separate legal status.
Members of the council are appointed by the Board of SPARC. It is envisaged that the council will meet up to eight times per year.
The council membership was selected from candidates identified by an establishment committee which consisted of Rob Fisher (Chair), Dr Mike Boyes, Kerry Marshall and Kay Booth.
Council members will represent the diverse range of interests across the outdoor recreation sector and will be senior and respected members of the sector with knowledge and expertise in outdoor recreation. The sector may be consulted on appointments to the council.
The term will be for three years but members may be re-appointed for a further term(s). It is envisaged that, as a rule, members will serve for one or two terms.
Won't the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Recreation Council duplicate the work of existing organisations?
No single existing organisation has the mandate to provide the over-arching coordinating role as envisaged for the Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Recreation Council.
The outdoor recreation sector has made strong calls for a single organisation to provide leadership and strategic vision.
Why doesn't SPARC take on the role?
There are issues associated with outdoor recreation that fall outside of SPARC's brief - for example issues of access, and conservation and tourism matters.
SPARC and the outdoor recreation sector believe it is important that an independent body with the appropriate knowledge and expertise be established to provide governance and leadership.
The Sir Edmund Hillary Outdoor Recreation Council will assist SPARC to manage relationships with key stakeholders in outdoor recreation and the process for sector consultation and input on outdoor recreation matters.
