For the past three years, DOC has provided the Backcountry Trust with $450,000 annually for volunteer projects. In the year to May 31 2022, this included maintenance on 33 huts and 240km of track that are not on DOC's schedule.
But last year DOC told the trust it was reviewing the funding arrangement.
In response to questions from Wilderness, DOC's West Coast operations director, Mark Davies confirmed the funding will stop in June 2023, but said the department was “absolutely committed to continuing to support the Backcountry Trust”.
Davies said DOC wanted a
