Lou Sanson - From Track Cutter to DOC Boss

Lou Sanson, former Director-General of the Department of Conservation, has spent a lifetime in New Zealand’s backcountry. From his childhood on the West Coast being taken tramping before he could walk, through teenage missions into wild valleys, to a career cutting tracks, leading DOC, and supporting the Backcountry Trust, Lou has lived and breathed the outdoors.We talk about:His earliest memories of family adventures in the hills.The tramps and mentors that shaped his love of the backcountry.Turning a passion for the outdoors into a lifelong career.Memorable tramping trips — from Ivory Lake to Stewart Island to the Auckland Islands.The future of our hut and track network, and the balance between recreation, conservation, and tourism.His annual tradition of spending the longest day of the year on a mountain summit.It’s a conversation full of stories, reflection, and inspiration from one of the key figures behind New Zealand’s conservation and recreation legacy.