Federated Mountain Clubs has resigned from the Land and Water Forum’s plenary group. “FMC supports the actions of Fish and Game and Forest and Bird in withdrawing from the forum – the government wasn’t listening to its recommendations despite the fact they were reached collaboratively by a spectrum of groups with interest in water, from farming to iwi”, says FMC vice-president and freshwater spokesperson Jan Finlayson.

In a resignation letter to Minister for the Environment Nick Smith and LAWF chair Hugh Logan, Finlayson recommends thorough assessment of New Zealand collaborative processes for natural resource management.

Federated Mountain Clubs represents over 80 clubs, 20,000 members, and 300,000 others who recreate annually in the backcountry