Conservation

CONSERVATION

Glacier Valley Eco Tours is passionate about conservation and we do what we can to ensure our business has minimal to no impact on the environment. We are consciously involved in community volunteer programs such as the Okarito Native Plant Nursery and are founding members of the Okarito Plant Project to help restore the native forests on our land and Project Early Bird.

OKARITO
PLANT PROJECT

Restoring natural habitat for our future

The Ōkārito Plant Project was founded by the Ōkārito Native Plants Trust as an innovative solution, empowering communities and businesses to be involved in the restoration and protection of natural ecosystems. Working together towards a sustainable future, fostering biodiversity and regenerating vital forests, waterways, and wetlands.

Glacier Valley Eco Tours is a proud founding member of the Ōkārito Plant Project and invites you to join us on our mission to preserve and restore biodiversity and the natural environment in South Westland. Operating under a circular model, this innovative initiative encourages both local and international businesses to become members, contribute financially and physically (by participating in planting activities), and promote the project through their business operations.

Visitors to the area are given the opportunity to learn about the project and can choose to donate, volunteer (if their visit coincides with a planting day), and/or support the collection of businesses that are official partners by booking their tours or purchasing their products. By choosing Glacier Valley Eco Tours, you are supporting the Ōkārito Plant Project and when you booking a tour with us online, you have the option to add a donation at checkout for the Ōkārito Plant Project.

DONATE

PROJECT
EARLY BIRD

In 2018, concerned with the lack of birdsong at our beloved Lake Matheson, we started a community trapping project, in conjunction with the Department of Conservation (DOC), to combat predators and protect our birds and invertebrates, including endangered fernbirds and recently released Rowi kiwi, working towards DOC's Predator Free 2050 goal of sustainability in New Zealand and also bringing back the birdlife for our Early Bird Tour and evening guided tours at Lake Matheson. We now have 115 x DOC 200 traps in this area and 10 regular volunteers.

This project will be ongoing, to extend it up to the new Lake Gault track in this area thanks to our wonderful volunteers who come out every month with us! Also huge thanks to our sponsors and supporters: Lake Matheson Cafe, who look after us with their tasty treats after our trapping days; Pics Peanut Butter for their peanut lures; West Coast Print for our signage and the Department of Conservation.

To donate to this project towards sustainability in our area, please phone us on 0800 925 586 or email info@glaciervalley.co.nz

See our Facebook page for more info or to volunteer.

For more info on Predator-free New Zealand visit https://predatorfreenz.org/