The Department of Conservation (DOC) has announced that its visitor centre in Dunedin will close by the end of June. The centre, which opened in 2015, is located next to the Dunedin City Council’s iSite. However, the closure will not result in any staff cuts.
Aaron Fleming, the DOC Southern South Island operations director, explained that the lease for the centre is expiring, making it an appropriate time to rethink how the department can best serve the area. He noted that visitor habits are changing, and the DOC needs to adapt in a financially sustainable way.
Fleming said that people interact with the DOC in various ways to find information and services about wildlife, tracks, and huts. He emphasized the need to think differently about how to best reach people in major urban areas with the outdoor visitor information and services they need.
The city of Dunedin is known as a wildlife hotspot. The DOC has worked with the Dunedin City Council over the years to develop the Wildlife Care Code. This initiative will continue to be delivered at the iSite, while the DOC will focus on wildlife education in the community in other ways.
Fleming assured that the staff will now concentrate on advocacy and conservation, and there will be no reduction in staff numbers. He added that the DOC will maintain a presence in the coastal Otago region to provide information, advice, and education on how to safely and enjoyably use wild spaces, heritage locations, and recreation places.
The Dunedin City Council’s iSite will continue to share visitor information, including wildlife advocacy. Information about the region’s wildlife, tracks, and huts can also be found on the DOC’s website.
