Education Outdoors New Zealand says outdoor programmes for young people do not need to involve high-risk activities.
The comment came a week before the anniversary of a rock-climbing trip during which two high-school students and an instructor drowned off New Plymouth.
The organisation said that while being outdoors is important for young people, it does not need to be high-risk or involve whizzes and bangs.
Chair Liz Thevenard said many schools are moving to what is known as a 'place-based' approach, involving low-risk journeys in local environments.
She said TOPEC, the centre leading the trip that ended in tragedy, may have to modify its programme to make it lower-risk and more education-based.
