Environment
In Camp:
Hangdog is located in the heart of what could be called one of the most scenic, alternative and eco friendly communities in the country, and as such there is a very strong emphasis on environmental conservation. Any outdoors person caught disrespecting his or her environment will be doing the collective camp dishes for a week. Water should be used sparingly, use the provided recycling and rubbish system’s, burn only DRY firewood, and the ground is not your ashtray.
Paines Ford Scenic Reserve:
Paines Ford is a Department of Conservation (DOC) Scenic Reserve, and as such, no matter how much fun you might be having, when you are climbing here the environment and it’s protection should always come first.
The reserve plays host to a rare and diverse ecosystem, and as such we are privileged have permission from DOC to climb there. We must all do our part to ensure that this privilege is not taken away. Please note the following points:
- LEAVE IT ALONE: We have an agreement with DOC that there no new climbing routes are to be put up. And no vegetation is to be removed. There is a large variety of native plant life, ranging from the tiny rare plants growing in the unique dry overhang environment, to tree ferns and big natives.
- KEEP TO THE TRACKS: The regenerating growth is under threat from you the climber through trampling, breaking and leaning.
- CLIMBING ROPES: Be careful when descending- ropes falling into the middle of tree ferns causes them to eventually die.
- FIRE: This is ALWAYS a risk, especially in summer months. Smokers, keep a hold of your butts!
- TOILETS: There are two sets of toilets at the reserve (plus the ones at camp), USE THEM.
- LITTER: As always, take home what you take in, and if you see some litter, please help out by picking it up.
- ROUTE SETTING: DOC currently allows climbing on all existing routes, but development of new routes is no longer allowed, unless you have express permission from DOC. Trust me – there’s plenty to choose from already.
The cliffs of Paines Ford are part of a large outcropping of the limestone bedrock that forms much of lowland Golden Bay. A commonly seen feature of this limestone is something called a “flowstone”, where mineral-rich waters are running down the faces and slowly harden layer by layer, until it looks like the stone is “flowing” downwards. Some of these flowstone formations are still active and while they may look like fun lines to climb they are extremely fragile, slow growing and slimy. In short, DO NOT CLIMB THEM.
For those interested in the ecology of the reserve there are copies of the recent survey of the bluff systems of Paines Ford available to read at the Hangdog Office.
Thanks team, let’s keep it green.
