Backcountry Magazine

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About Backcountry

Backcountry is FMC’s long-standing and popular flagship magazine. We publish it four times a year, bringing stories and perspectives you won’t find anywhere else. From spirited debates on the future of huts and tracks to the challenges of managing and protecting conservation land, each issue delves into the big questions shaping New Zealand’s wild places. It offers a window into FMC’s advocacy and outreach work, keeping our outdoor community informed, connected, and inspired to explore more.

The magazine is created and produced by editor Peter Laurenson, with the support of a small, hard-working team. Editorial content for each issue is selected by the editor.

How can I get Backcountry?

There are several ways to get your hands on Backcountry:

  • Individual FMC members — If you are an individual FMC member, you automatically receive printed copies four times a year.
  • Members of FMC member clubs — If you belong to a member club, your club receives copies for its members. Check with your club to see how they’re distributed.
  • Direct-to-You (D2U) service — If you belong to an FMC member club and have paid your FMC subscription via your club fees, you can receive Backcountry straight from FMC for $25 extra per year.
  • Organisations and libraries — Annual subscriptions are $35 (or $45 for overseas), please contact our administrator.

Previous copies – available here via our website – note that the latest issue is only available by the above methods.

FAQs

If you’re interested in contributing, please get in touch with Peter, our editor, at backcountry@fmc.org.nz well before the editorial deadline to discuss your ideas or send drafts.

For images, please provide .tif or .jpeg files between 1–5 MB.

Letters to the editor should be no longer than 300 words.

News for the Noticeboard can be sent anytime before the deadline — no prior notice needed.

The editor has full responsibility for deciding the content of each issue. If there are any concerns about published items, these are reviewed by an FMC committee.

Yes. Backcountry is available both in print and online. Once printed copies of the latest issue have been distributed, the previous issue becomes publicly available online. This ensures that latest issues are initially only available to subscribers who have paid to receive first access to the content.

To learn more about why FMC continues to print Backcountry, check out Peter’s article, Sustainable in Print.

We have digitised every issue of Backcountry ever published — all available to read as PDFs in our FMC archives.

To explore advertising and promotional opportunities with FMC, please email us at adverts@fmc.org.nz or download our Media Kit.

D2U (Direct-to-You) is an optional service only for registered members of FMC member clubs. If you’re part of an FMC club and have paid your FMC subscription via your club fees, you’re eligible to sign up.

It’s especially useful for larger clubs where distributing Backcountry magazines can be challenging.

If you sign up for D2U, we’ll post your Backcountry magazine directly to your New Zealand address. The $25 annual fee covers FMC’s costs for packaging and mailing four individual issues to you.

With D2U, you’ll receive the next four issues delivered straight to your door.

Originally called the FMC Bulletin, we have produced a regular magazine since 1957. Check out the Issue Number on the front cover top left corner to see how many we have produced.

Issue Editorial Deadline Advertising Deadline Issue to Clubs
March 2025 27 January 14 February Late – March
June 2025 14 April 2 May Mid – June
August 2025 30 June 18 July Late – August
November 2025 22 September 10 October Late – November
March 2026 26 January 13 February Late – March

Contacts

Editor: backcountry@fmc.org.nz

Subscription and distribution: administrator@fmc.org.nz