New Toi Ohomai Rotorua project aims to give insight on forest users

Gracen Lines and Farnoosh Arpanaei are two of four Toi Ohomai students collecting data. Photo / Supplied

Research is underway to understand who is using the Whakarewarewa Forest.

The information will be available to everyone and will be a key input into future strategies for the district.

It will explore the demographics of the current users of the forest, and is being spearheaded by Toi Ohomai kaimahi (staff) Bronwyn Alton and Clare Crawshaw.

Toi Ohomai students have signed up to take part in data collection and the project is supported by RotoruaNZ and the Titokorangi and Whakarewarewa Forest Recreational Management Group.

Alton said the research data will be used to support stakeholders in understanding the demographic makeup of the users of the forest.

"It will help ensure the sustainable development of the recreational forest including amenities, enable business entrepreneurship, and provide valuable visitor experience insights.

"We'll be compiling baseline data on who the visitors are, and how they use the forest, then we can track changes in the future."

Alton and Crawshaw saw it as an ongoing project and were keen to consult with the community to widen the survey themes in future years.

"This project will be used to provide local council and external stakeholders with more accurate and credible data to form the foundation for understanding who the current users of the recreational forest are and how the council can use this information to create promotional and tactical actions."

Toi Ohomai tourism and hospitality management student Gracen Lines and business management student Farnoosh Arpanaei are two of four students assisting with data collection.

Lines said it was a great opportunity to find out more about the community asset.

Farnoosh arrived in New Zealand from Iran nine months ago and said the project was enabling her to meet new people and learn more about the Rotorua environment.

The duo, along with two other students will be stationed at various forest entrance points over the next few months to talk to forest users, and were also using this as an opportunity to build on what they were already learning in class.

RotoruaNZ insights and research manager Justin Kimberly said it was pleased to be able to support the project.

He said the research built on from recent work it had commissioned that quanitifed the economic benefit of mountain biking to Rotorua.

"It also will be a key input into a trails strategy for the district, which is one of the actions identified in the Rotorua Destination Management Plan."