Former Minister of Conservation Eugenie Sage joins The Tramping Life to talk about her lifelong love of the outdoors, from building huts as a child to tramping the St James and the Old Ghost Road.
 
We hear about her earliest memories of wild Auckland gullies, mishaps with camp burners, and close encounters with karearea (NZ falcons). She reflects on her years in politics — the wins, frustrations, and the enduring fight to protect New Zealand’s landscapes from overdevelopment and invasive species.
 
Eugenie also shares her thoughts on the future of conservation, the lessons from the Jobs for Nature programme, and why ungulate and pig control are just as vital as predator-free efforts.
 
It’s a wide-ranging, thoughtful conversation about tramping, conservation, and what it means to truly care for the places we walk.