Community Plan and Policy

Aim: To provide a service to members by producing print and electronic publications that record and promote New Zealand climbing.

Convenor: Richard Thomson

Publications Committee: Kester Brown, Paul Hersey, Simon Middlemass, John Palmer, Geoff Spearpoint and Michael Welson

ClimbNZ.org.nz Committee: Jonathan Hunt, Craig Jefferies, Grant Piper and Jeremy Smit

Climber.co.nz Committee: Kester Brown, Jonathan Hunt and Tom Riley

Strategic objectives

• Publish a Club magazine and the annual Journal to ensure good communication with members and long term record of climbing activity.
• Publish mountaineering guidebooks to cover general climbing activities in all major climbing areas of New Zealand.
• Publish rock climbing and activity guidebooks as required to cover New Zealand rock climbing areas.
• Control and implementation of standard Club branding across all areas of the Club.
• Ensure the website is of a high standard to provide up to date and relevant information to members and those interested in New Zealand mountaineering.
• Develop the national library and archives as a valuable resource for climbers and researchers.
• Balance publications expenditure against publications income.

Current projects

• Publish North Island Rock Deluxe guidebook in 2012.
• Launch The Climber online in 2012.
• Continue to develop ClimbNZ.org.nz as a community information resource.
• Make past issues of the New Zealand Alpine Journal and The Climber available online.

Ongoing projects

• Publish The Climber quarterly in colour.
• Publish New Zealand Alpine Journal annually in colour with midweight gated cover.
• Reprint NZAC guidebooks as required by stock levels [ongoing].
• Develop the NZAC library with complete sets of the NZAJ, Climber, Canterbury Mountaineer, key overseas journals, and all New Zealand books in Langton (2005). Cull unwanted books, upgrade books collection by donations, or purchases, cover books [ongoing].
• Develop, implement and monitor a marketing plan for NZAC publications [ongoing].
• Design access signage for rock climbing crags [ongoing].
• Maintain map collection and trip reports on overseas climbing for use by NZAC members in expedition planning [ongoing].

Recent achievements

• Upgrade NZAC website, improve ease of use, site management and online shopping [completed 2011].
• Publish (with Canterbury Mountaineering Club) Canterbury Westland Alps guidebook by Geoff Spearpoint and Yvonne Cook [completed 2010].
• Publish online guides to Mt Eden Quarry and Cleddau crags [completed 2010].
• Expand Mount Aspiring Region guidebook to include Humboldt, Forbes, Barrier and Richardson mountains [completed 2009].
• Publish Avalanche Awareness by Penny Goddard [completed 2008].
• Publish with Great Southern Lakes Publishing, 7th Edition of Moirs South by Robin McNeill in NZAC format [completed 2007].
• Design identification and information signs for NZAC huts [completed].
• Develop pricing policies for non-NZAC publications and DVDs sold by NZAC to ensure reasonable margin over all costs [completed].