Locals upset about prolonged closure of Papamoa Hills Regional Park while trees are being harvested. Local runners Lesley Park (cap) and Kelly Bulloch. Photo/John Borren
The prolonged closure of the Papamoa Hills Regional Park highlights an issue relevant to many of our recreation spaces: some places normally open to the public are privately-owned and subject to periodic shutdowns. 48 Hours reporter Dawn Picken spoke with trail users, industry and government officials to learn what accessibility means in the shifting landscape of public space.
It's the height of summer, and one of the Western Bay's most popular summit tracks has been off limits to the public for more than four months.
The Papamoa Hills Regional Park closed on October 5 and was meant to reopen around the end of January. That date has been pushed back to late March/early April because of a logging operation.
It means runners such as Papamoa's Lesley Park have sought new training grounds.
"Because Papamoa is so flat ... most people go and run the Mount, but it is a bit of a drive down there. The logging occurs on tracks we're used to having access to and it's just a bummer it's taking longer than expected. But I think we're lucky to have something like that on our doorstep, anyway."
Fulton Hogan owns 25 hectares next to the park and stated the harvest was extended partly because of tree quantities exceeding pre-harvest calculations.
Regional manager Gavin Riddle tells 48 Hours: "The delay in reopening is certainly not singularly focused around this increased yield, but also includes the two concurrent harvesting operations."
He says the regional council is also harvesting adjacent property at the same time, which will negate the need for future harvesting closures.
Mr Riddle says over spring and summer was the right time for the 30-year-old pines to come out.
Logging in winter on steep terrain poses safety and environmental risks due to rain and slippery conditions which we obviously need to avoid.
Eveie Espie, who also lives in Papamoa, belongs to a tramping group that trains at the park. She was "horrified" the park's closure was extended.
"It's been a huge loss to the active community. You see all ages going up there - grandparents with grandchildren, mums and babies in backpacks, and of course, all the sports teams from schools. If you want a hill you have to go to the Mount, which is too busy with tourists."
Runners such as Melissa Olsen continue to access Papamoa Hills by driving up Reid Rd and parking at Summerhill recreation trails.
"They have taken a lot more trees down than I'd anticipated. It's going to be hot and dusty on the main track now," she says.
Mountain Bike Tauranga club president Tony Jump says he's seen no change in the number of people using Summerhill, nor heard complaints or comments from other club members.
Mr Riddle says Fulton Hogan will replant native trees near public accessways after letting the land sit for about 12 months, which is industry standard.
"Areas outside of this, that can be harvested in years to come without future impact on the park and walking tracks, will likely be replanted in pines although we are looking at our options on this."
Fish & Game, a non-profit organisation which advocates for public access to recreational resources, states on its website that access "... we have enjoyed in the past is being eroded through changing land use and changing land ownership".
Eastern region Fish & Game officer Anthony Vandorp says political lobbying is key to preserving use of green spaces.
"Ultimately, if public access is lost, it's because of a legal mechanism."
He says Fish & Game and other organisations around the country have been able to manage or obtain land to keep it available for game bird hunting.
Mr Vandorp says it's tough when public access is suddenly curtailed because of a sale. "It's a difficult aspect to get to grips with because they've lost something that they've never really owned."
In Rotorua, all of the Whakarewarewa Forest (which contains 150km of mountain bike tracks) is privately-owned and subject to periodic closures and detours for harvest operations.
Last weekend's Tarawera Ultramarathon event was re-routed because of commercial activity.
The event website states: "... forestry companies have logged early parts of the course (before Blue Lake) and after Fisherman's Bridge - rendering these areas an eyesore - and not worthy of a world-class Ultramarathon".
Papamoa's Josie Calcott is taking the Papamoa Regional Park closure in her stride, saying it's for safety's sake.
She and other runners have found a silver lining.
"We've ended up exploring other areas, so it's been quite positive, really ... like down the Kaimais way, and we've been meeting at the Mount quite a lot more and we've found other tracks past Summerhill like the Otawa Trig."
Walkers and runners are counting the days until the regional park reopens.