Respect Our Environment
Kaikiakitanga
The native Maori of New Zealand have a word "Kaikiakitanga" which roughly translates into the guardianship and sustainable management of all resources for present and future generations.
As someone who is biking directly into the New Zealand wilderness it is essential that we take this guardianship seriously. At the minimum this means:
- Not using our country as your toilet
- Camping in legal designated areas
- Taking your waste and rubbish away with you
Camping Our Way - Love NZ
The Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand has developed a fantastic website called Camping Our Way. This site is a resource for information you will need travelling in the "great" outdoors of New Zealand, such as, public toilets, links to camping areas across New Zealand, and other important travel links.
If you are unsure - don't know where to camp - need to find a toilet - Don't assume, ask a local!
The Impact of Bikes
Many of the bike rides around New Zealand are also on walking tracks - Queenstown for example, is an extremely popular biking and walking region. Please show respect for other users such as walkers and on some of the classic and regional rides we promote on this website 4WDs.
Mountain bikes do pretty much the same, even less, damage to the tracks than walkers do - unless of course, you skid on your brakes. Simple then - try not to jam on those back breaks and leave big skid marks where the weather will get in and wear down the trails. NZbyBike is committed to reinvesting 10% of the cost of listing on this website back into track development, maintenance and marketing. Help us by making a donation to keeping our trails in great condition.
Didymo: "Rock Snot" is a horrible problem that has infiltrated South Island lakes. The growth spreads across river beds in a thick carpet destroying native river flora and fauna. If you are biking in areas that cross streams and rivers please wash your bike after such rides to help stop the spreading of this disease.