Thread: Could be bad news

Here's my submission, if that helps anybody else. This access stuff must be protected (and access improved) where ever possible. Everyone needs to be vigilant and stand up for it constantly if we're to keep access to public land - once it's gone it's gone.

I'm writing to submit my strong opposition to the removal of the paper road as mentioned here:
https://www.mdc.govt.nz/news/2022/ro...-of-opawe-road

Paper roads have protections and access rights that cannot be changed. An easement or pathway is not the same thing. I particularly consider hunters here, as firearms can be problematic - but with a road, they are legal. By all means, move the paper road to follow the better route, but don't have it as an easement or pathway, but as a paper road - like for like.

Our backcountry is already hard enough to get to due to poor foresight from planners of the past - particularly the Ruahine ranges. To remove any kind of level of access permissions or right for the future is incredibly short-sighted for all backcountry recreation and conservation users. Surely a moved paper road with the same legal protections as the current, to follow a more sensible curve will satisfy both parties. As a country it boggles my mind that we continue to facilitate single landowners limiting (in any way, however small) the other 5 million of us's access to our forest ranges.

I hope the council makes the right call for the future.

You can find an email address to send similar to my submission if you want, on the council link here. Don't be a bystander and watch our access disappear.
https://www.mdc.govt.nz/news/2022/ro...-of-opawe-road

Originally Posted by LarryB

Here's my submission, if that helps anybody else. This access stuff must be protected (and access improved) where ever possible. Everyone needs to be vigilant and stand up for it constantly if we're to keep access to public land - once it's gone it's gone.



You can find an email address to send similar to my submission if you want, on the council link here. Don't be a bystander and watch our access disappear.
https://www.mdc.govt.nz/news/2022/ro...-of-opawe-road

Love it!
Mine followed simmilar lines but was less articulate.