Media Statement

October 16th 2015

New Zealand Alpine Club President, John Cocks, today announced the dates of the Sustainable Summits Conference, to be held in New Zealand next year.

“We are very pleased to announce that, in association with the New Zealand Department of Conservation, we will host a 4-day international conference on sustainability in the mountains at Aoraki Mount Cook National Park from the 7th to 10th August 2016,” he said.

“The conference will focus on practical solutions in terms of adapting to a changing mountain environment, responding to changing visitor patterns and behaviour and preserving mountains for the enjoyment of future generations,” he said.

“It follows the successful international Sustainable Summits Conference in Colorado, USA, in 2014,” he said.

“We have already secured world-class keynote speakers including: Sir Tipene O’Regan, Ngai Tahu, NZ; Dawa Steven Sherpa, Nepal; Roger Robinson, Denali National Park, Alaska; Peter Rupitsch, Director National Park Hohe Tauern Austria; Simon Cox, GNS NZ; and Lou Sanson, Director General, NZ Department of Conservation,” he said.

“Invitations to several other keynote are pending, subject to funding. Whilst we have sufficient funds to commit to hosting the conference we are continuing to seek sponsors and patrons,” he said.

Registrations for the conference will open on February 1st, 2016.

Direct enquiries and a register of interest are facilitated at the conference website http://sustainable-summits.com/ or by email

Ends

For further information, please contact:

John Cocks
0064 27 246 39 18

Dave Bamford
0064 27 457 03 13

New Zealand Alpine Club http://www.alpineclub.org.nz
NZ Department of Conservation http://www.doc.govt.nz