A wrap of the biggest stories and best writing about the outdoors from New Zealand and around the world.
If you need a reason to put a smile on your face today, take a peek at these images and a video of black bears riding on a swan boat.
A handful of black bears at the Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire, U.K., took advantage of a temporary lake in their exhibit after a bout of rain by climbing into a swan pedal boat. The bears’ keepers put the boat there because they thought the bears would like it – and it appears that they did.
Zookeepers often introduce new objects into animals’ enclosures as a form of enrichment, to keep them curious and engaged with their surroundings. It seems this enrichment, in the form of a swan boat, was a hit with the bears—and the TikTok community.
Money dries up for Jobs for Nature programme
Hundreds of pest control, forest restoration and freshwater projects funded by the $1.2 billion Jobs for Nature (J4N) scheme launched in 2020 are approaching their end date.
The scheme was funded for five years, creating 14,000 jobs, but many projects have ended or are about to finish, leaving workers and the projects themselves facing an uncertain future.
“We over-achieved in terms of employment outcomes, in terms of our training outcomes and also in terms of our conservation outcomes,” says Pureora Forest Robert John Muraahi.
“The minute you stop doing pest control in a forest the re-invasion begins,” says David Peters, chair of Project Parore which has been supported by a Jobs for Nature grant. “Pure volunteerism is not going to get the results we need,” he says.
A statement sent from the Environment Ministry says the government has made no commitment to extend the programme beyond 2025. Read the full story from RNZ’s The Detail.
Greig Hamilton becomes first NZer to finish Barkley Marathons
Ultra-distance runner Greig Hamilton has become the first New Zealander to finish the brutal Barkley Marathons. Hamilton had just over 21 minutes left when he completed the 162km, five-lap event in Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee, United States, to beat the 60-hour time limit.
In his third attempt at the race, Hamilton became just the 19th finisher in the 38-year history of the famed event for ultra-distance runners. This year featured a record five finishers in the race, including Jasmin Paris (UK) who became the first woman to finish in the event’s history.
The Barkley Marathons is known as “the race that eats its young”. It’s widely regarded as one of the world’s toughest ultramarathons, featuring 16,500m of both vertical climb and descent.
“I first attempted Barkley back in 2019,” Hamilton told the Orienteering website in 2022. “It took a number of years before I finally felt I had enough experience and was at a level where I thought I might have a chance of finishing or at least doing well.” Read the full story from Stuff.
WATCH: Grand Cliff Top Walk in the Blue Mountains now open to the public
The Blue Mountains outside of Sydney, Australia are renowned for their hiking trails and as a weekend getaway. Now, the 19km Grand Cliff Top Walk provides bushwalkers with a seamless journey from Wentworth Falls to Katoomba. The Walk is designed to take two days, with an overnight stop in one of a variety of accommodation options in the mountain villages of Leura, Wentworth Falls or Katoomba. There are also many
Lookouts along the route offer sweeping panoramic views of the World Heritage Blue Mountains National Park. Among the many highlights are the Three Sisters Aboriginal Place and the Wentworth Falls waterfall. Learn more about the track and watch the video from ABC News.
Hobby turned into 320km walking route for Greater Manchester from city centre to hidden gems
Greater Manchester is full of glorious countryside – plenty of which you can explore on foot. 15 years ago, one man had an idea about creating a walking trail so people could make the most of exploring the region. Now thanks, to lots of hard work from enthusiastic volunteers, Greater Manchester Ringway project leader Andrew Read and his team are well on their way to connecting 320km of Greater Manchester with walking trails.
“What I realised from living in Manchester, is that there is lots of great, varied scenery around Greater Manchester within easy reach, some of which people don’t know about,” Read says. He also says most of the trail is within reach of public transport, which makes access easy for people without cars.
The Ringway has step-by-step and pictured guidance for each of the stages through an app which helps make the Ringway as inclusive as possible. Read the full story from Manchester World.
