Background to the Code
This code outlines how you can care for the land and its people when you are outdoors. It also outlines access rights and responsibilities for people visiting land and those who own or manage the whenua. It is not an authoritative statement of law on public access or private property rights.
Three fundamental principles underpin the Outdoor Access Code:
- taking personal responsibility for one’s actions
- respecting the interests and rights of other people, and
- taking care of the environment.
Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa supports people to access the outdoors. Many other NZ organisations support the Tiaki Promise by providing information on travelling safely and conscientiously — caring for our whenua and those who look after the whenua.
In this code, we share their resources, as well as our own, for outdoor access issues such as animal welfare, firearm safety and minimising impact on the environment.