Canyoning Research Released

20 May 2010

Research

In late 2009 Water Safety New Zealand (WSNZ) and the New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association (NZOIA) commissioned the enclosed piece of research.  The objective was to look at:

  1. What the level of canyoning activity in NZ is?
  2. Who is leading canyoning trips (schools, outdoor centres, operators)?
  3. What the environmental / terrain conditions that groups are active in?
  4. Where canyoning activity is occurring geographically and are their distinct levels of activity taking place?
  5. What qualifications and standards have been implemented by other countries?
  6. Does the scope of overseas qualifications (environment/terrain/activity level) have parallels with NZ?
  7. Is there sufficient activity to enable / justify the establishment of national standards in New Zealand with consideration given to if other solutions exists and if current qualifications could be adapted or supplemented by endorsements? If qualifications were deemed the right approach consideration should be given to if a hierarchy of qualifications is needed to cater for different levels of activity.

WSNZ & NZOIA have considered the findings of the report and believe it sheds light on the complexity of both defining and managing emergent water and risk-bearing recreation activities.

Click here to download a copy of the research (293k)

If you would like to make any comment on this research please contact WSNZ at wsnz@watersafety.org.nz