Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri ā muri ake nei
For us and our children after us
Franz Josef Glacier Guides is one of the founding partners of the Ōkārito Plant Project, which aims to enable local communities to help restore and protect their natural ecosystems in South Westland through native planting.
Through the Ōkārito Plant Project, Franz Josef Glacier Guides and other Glacier Country tourism operators have teamed up with agricultural businesses in South Westland and the Ōkārito Plant Nursery to plant locally sourced native species at identified restoration sites. The aim is to help regenerate forests, waterways and wetlands, enhance biodiversity and create wildlife corridors.
The project is designed to direct visitor and operator contributions into locally led planting and community work. The aspiration is that tourism activity should add value in more than an economic sense by actively enriching local communities and helping to protect and restore the environment.
So far planting sites have been established at Lake Matheson, Fox Glacier and Whataroa. Up to eight people from the Franz Josef Glacier Guides team can be working on the project at any one time, for example when conditions are unsuitable for accessing the glacier.
Plant a Native Tree in Glacier Country
Make a contribution to the place you are exploring by adding a native tree to your booking. In partnership with the Ōkārito Plant Project, Franz Josef Glacier Guides supports regenerative planting projects across Glacier Country.
When you select this add-on, a native tree will be planted in Glacier Country on your behalf, helping restore indigenous ecosystems, support biodiversity and protect this remarkable landscape for future generations.
A simple way to support locally led native planting in Glacier Country, the whenua that makes your glacier experience possible.
Find out more
If you would like to find out more about the projects that Franz Josef Glacier Guides are involved in and how you can help us make a difference visit The Okarito Nursery