Recreation Aotearoa have announced the winners of the 2022 New Zealand Outdoor Awards, recognising excellence and outstanding contribution to the outdoor recreation industry.

Hawaiki Kura has been recognised for their work with tāngata Māori in outdoor recreation with the Māori Outcomes Award/Whaiao Māori. Hawaiki Kura is a kaupapa Māori social enterprise, based in Marlborough, which specialises in delivering cultural wellness wānanga for the community and tāngata Māori. A huge component of their work with tāngata Māori is in creating opportunities in the outdoors and providing a platform for Māori to connect with their whakapapa and hauora through the natural environment. 

Adventure Specialties Trust is the 2022 recipient of Whakaaweawe Kaupapa, the Outstanding Event/Programme Award. Adventure Specialties Trust received this award for their Christchurch based Inspire Adventure Therapy programme, which uses outdoor adventure to help adults deal with some of the harder parts of life and make new connections. The programme was developed in response to requests from the community for more wellbeing based outdoor programmes for people aged 18 and above.

For the second year in a row, Discover Waitomo has won the Environmental Leadership Award, Tiakina Taiao. Discover Waitomo are the operators and kaitiaki of the Waitomo Glowworm Cave, Ruakuri Cave, and Aranui Cave. They are dedicated and committed to preserving the ecosystem of their caves and promoting sustainable tourism practices. With an environmental team on hand, extensive climate monitoring systems, and environmental education programmes, Discover Waitomo are world leaders in the conservation space. 

In November last year, Recreation Aotearoa also presented the 2022 Supreme Award/Manu Kura in Nelson. This award recognises an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in outdoor recreation. This went to Mike Elkington from Whenua Iti Outdoors. Mike is the lead kaiako Māori at Whenua Iti Outdoors. Mike’s passion lies in uplifting the mana of tamariki and rangatahi, in particular, rangatahi Māori, teaching them that it’s not just ‘okay’ to be Māori, but that its ‘exceptional’ to be Māori and to be proud of their whakapapa.

Recreation Aotearoa Outdoors Programme Manager, Kieran McKay, said, “We are seeing more Kiwis reaping the benefits of the outdoors and outdoor recreation – we are lucky to live in a place that has so many opportunities and enthusiastic providers. It is a privilege to acknowledge these organisations and individuals with these awards, they are significant players in the growth of outdoor recreation in Aotearoa.”

Hawaiki Kura, Adventure Specialties Trust, and Discover Waitomo will be presented with their awards by Recreation Aotearoa representatives in a roadshow tour in March 2023.

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