Conservation

Conservation is part of RealNZ's heritage and a cornerstone of our modern-day business. We understand we are privileged to operate in this spectacular part of New Zealand and we take our responsibility to protect our natural heritage and preserve our environment seriously.

To honour our conservation commitments and philosophy, we work closely with both the Department of Conservation (DoC) and the local communities we operate in.  We contribute significant funds and in-kind support towards a variety of projects that support habitats, recovering species and clean up initiatives. 

In order to reduce our environmental footprint, we work to operate within best practice guidelines. This includes regular internal environmental audits and benchmarking reviews to identify areas for assessment and improvement.  RealNZ holds Qualmark Enviro Gold status and has been awarded the NZ Tourism Industry Association’s Conservation in Action Award.

Find out more about our conservation initiatives here > 

Pest Eradication Land & Habitat Restoration

New Zealand's south island is home to dense forests that provide a unique habitat for our rare and diverse population of native birds. Unfortunately many our beloved local birdlife is endangered due to the introduction of predators. RealNZ, often in partnership with DoC, is committed to helping to eradicate pests a restore native habitats for birdlife to thrive. Two key examples of this include our Walter Peak Land Restoration Project and Cooper Island Restoration Project. 

In Milford Sound, employees also check and maintain lines of stoat and rat traps and monitor local bird populations.

Education 

We consider ourselves guardians for the National Parks we operate in and believe tourism can play a vital role in teaching people the importance of preserving these special places. We fight to save what we care about, so visiting and learning about nature is a crucial step towards creating environmental advocates. 

ReaNZ also provides logistical support for environmental researchers (transport, etc.) and subsidised travel for children on educational trips and to the school hostel at Deep Cove in Doubtful Sound. 

RealNZ team helping on a Kiwi Conservation Project