We’ve been helping people make it home safe from their outdoor adventures for over 50 years.
Every year, millions of Kiwis across Aotearoa and visitors from around the world spend time enjoying our great outdoors.
From walking, hiking and tramping to hunting, trail running, mountain biking and backcountry snowsports, New Zealand has a thriving outdoor recreation culture, and is one of the best places in the world to experience the wonders of nature.
At NZ Mountain Safety Council (MSC), our job is to help every one of these people make it home safe from their outdoor adventuring. To do this, we focus on preventing harm through reducing outdoor injuries, search and rescue operations, and fatalities.
Our work covers a wide range of safety, education and behaviour change initiatives. We use evidence-based behaviour change messaging and targeted safety campaigns, and design and develop tools, resources and information specifically to help people with their planning, preparation and decision-making.
Some of our key work includes providing avalanche forecasts, delivering firearms safety training, and helping people stay safe while walking, hiking or tramping with our Plan My Walk website and app. We share prevention and safety messaging through our active and growing social media following, by working closely with NZ media outlets and through our award-winning safety videos.
We produce a range of data and insights about outdoor recreation safety topics, for example using our Adventure Voice outdoor research community. Everything we do is guided by this evidence. Through these insights (and the stories Kiwis and our partners share with us), we know our work saves lives.
Our Vision
Safer places, safer activities, safer people.
Our Mission
Enabling people to enjoy their outdoors recreation safely.
Our Values
- Professionalism
We will collaborate with the rest of the outdoor sector and share what we know. - Integrity
We will be open and honest in everything we do. - Trust
We will be the organisation people look to for how to get prepared and stay safe outdoors.
Our Strategy
Our strategy consists of four key pillars: Insights, Partnerships, Messaging and Evolution. You can read our Strategic Plan here.
Principles of our Prevention Strategy:
- Evidence-based
We collect and analyse data to develop insights; these drive our work. - Participant-centric
We put the people we’re trying to help at the centre of our work. - Curiosity
We seek out answers, ask probing questions and look for opportunities. - Innovation
We’re not afraid to try new things or push the boundaries. - Partnerships
Working with others will always be more successful than going it alone.
Our History – How it all Began
MSC was formed in 1965 in response to concerns over the increasing number of incidents in the bush and mountains. Representatives from a number of government and recreational organisations formed an incorporated society with the goal of enhancing safety in outdoor adventure activities.
Initially, MSC’s Council consisted of 11 organisations, including National Parks Authority, Internal Affairs Department, Police Department, National Youth Council, Civil Aviation (Search & Rescue Co-ordination Centre), National Water Safety Committee, Publicity Division Tourist & Publicity Department, Education Department, Federated Mountain Clubs, Forest Service and NZ Deerstalkers’ Association.
Today, some of these organisations remain on our Council, either in their original form, or through their evolution over the years.
Our logo through the years:
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