Securing the diversity of Whakarewarewa, Rotorua
In 2007 a comprehensive survey showed that Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa forest had 85,000 mountain biking visits and a total of 282,000 recreational user visits. Over $7 million of spending was directly attributable to mountain biking in the 5,700ha forest – rocketing up 70% on 2005.
“Mountain biking in Rotorua has evolved into this mega dynamo - to the point almost everyone has a bike,” says Gregg Brown, advocacy manager for the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club. That momentum brings real benefits, with everyone from business leaders to the Mayor now riding bikes and aware of the recreational value of the forest.
But scale also presents challenges. “In the old days, mountain bike was very much a niche. You could build a track and no harm done,” says Gregg. Whereas in the last few years the forestry company has recognised that they have “given the city of Rotorua a free lunch,” in allowing free access for mountain biking. “Relations with the forestry guys have got a little tense,” he reveals.
“Whaka” benefits from a hugely established track network and easy access from the city. Most important, though, is the diversity of the forest. “It has many blocks of different species of trees. Every track is different – that’s the subtle thing that makes riding here so inviting.”
Significant effort is being made to secure that diversity. Thanks to submissions from the club, the Council’s draft 10-year plan includes a proposal for a $5 million loan to be made available, to allow the purchase of forestry cutting rights by Rotorua District Council (RDC). This would enable the forest to be managed for its recreational value above all else. Trees would still be harvested, but in a way that minimised impact on the forest’s diversity and riding appeal. Profit from harvested trees would pay back the loan, so ultimately there would be no cost to the city – and substantial return from protecting the asset.
“While we’ve got RDC to put this money aside, it’s only in draft. Now we are rallying people to put in submissions [to the final plan]. It’s about making sure everyone knows where we’re at. I’ve emailed and phoned people to explain the scenario, if they’re passionate they will get on with it,” Gregg reckons.
The club doesn’t follow a set structure to tackling such issues. The club executive meet and “knit together electronically” with Council employees who are responsible for cycling strategy and events. Meetings are regularly held with iwi. One of the city’s Councilors is an ex-club president.
“There’s always communication flowing about a particular opportunity or threat. A few of us were up in a helicopter the other day looking at a potential route for the national cycle way. We’re talking about a bike festival. It’s all [discussed and planned] through the network,” Gregg explains.
Key lessons
- Share the facts. “The recreational return of a track far exceeds the cost of building it,” says Gregg. “The cost [of track building] is peanuts!” He says it’s very important to put across a coherent argument with all the facts and figures surrounding mountain biking in Whakarewarewa. “We use economic surveys to help people understand the recreational value of the forest, to be aware of the numbers. It’s an education process.”
- Share the experience. “We do whatever we can to get people to get out there and appreciate the forest,” says Gregg. City Leaders and top Government officials are invited to ride tracks. Track openings are held. By coming and experiencing the forest, people become advocates.
- Gain support of high-profile people. It helps to have people on your side who have a public profile, says Gregg, who is himself the owner of the Pig and Whistle Bar and Capers café, and is on the Rotorua Tourism Board. The club has a strategy to look for people within the mountain bike community who can help to pass on the message.
- Be positive. It’s important to try and keep relationships good. “Everything has to be win-win. I try not to beat up on people,” he says. The club takes effort to respond to safety issues with forestry operations. “We recognise it’s not our forest. We try to be as cooperative and professional as possible.”
- Maximise funding opportunities. In the two financial years to March 2008, Rotorua Mountain Bike Club received $118,000 in funding support for building trails. Gregg notes that the club has been recognised as a charitable organisation, to support funding applications. In turn, that means being “utterly impeccable” in making use of the money, he emphasises.
- It won’t happen overnight. Putting in the submission to the Council’s 10-year Strategy underlines the long-term commitment of the club. There are a lot of us and we’re all passionate about mountain biking. [The success of Whakarewarewa] has evolved over a period of time,” is how Gregg sums it up.
Updated | 18 May 2009.
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