Te Urewera Treks & Tree Planting

Urewera Rainforest Restoration- the Holiday that lasts 1000 Years.

We are very proud to work in partnership with Te Urewera Treks and the local Maori of the Urewera region in New Zealand on a co-operative initiative to restore parts of the rainforest felled in the 1950’s. Its not a case of people making a donation and hoping some trees go in the ground. Instead you plant nine native trees yourselves, three of which will live for around 75 years, three for around 250 years and three will live for over 1000 years. Your contribution to New Zealand\'s nature will be standing proud for many future generations to enjoy. The Ureweras is an area of outstanding beauty located on the North Island about an hours drive south east of Rotorua. Visit www.restorerainforest.com for more information about your experience, how you make a real contribution to the environment and offset your carbon emissions.

 

Te Urewera Rainforest Restoration is the realisation of a project between TravelEssence, Te Urewera Treks, the Tuhoe Tuawhenua Trust and the local Maori of Te Urewera. The aim is simple: to restore parts of the forest felled last century to its former glorious state as native rainforest. The trees that you plant will grow for 1000 years and these trees children and grand children will go on for many millennia to come.

 

The day starts in Murapara (about 50 minutes south east of Rotorua) where you meet Joe Doherty, your guide for the day. Joe was raised in the Urewera’s and his Maori ancestors have lived in the area for hundreds of years. Aside from being a Urewera local, Joe was for many years responsible for integrating the Maori cultural elements into Te Papa, the museum of New Zealand. His local knowledge of the Urewera Forest and of Maori legends and history ensures that your experience in the forest is enlightening and engaging.

 

The morning is spent walking in the mystical Whirinaki Forest hearing the stories and legends of the Maori people from the area and the role that trees have played in the creation according to Maori. After lunch you undertake the planting of native New Zealand trees such as Rimu, Totara, Matai and native Beech that in 1000 years will be fully developed members of the Podocarp type forest that creates Te Urewera National Park. Each person plants 9 trees with each tree requiring 6 metres of space between it and the next. Your part in the restoration of this very special landscape gives you status as Kaitiaki Tautoko, or honorary guardian of forest. You will always be welcome in Te Urewera and the trees your hands planted will be standing for a thousand or more years to come.

 

Aside from the environmental role there is also a vital social role. The trees will be nurtured until they are self-supporting (circa 5 years) by local youth and adults of Te Urewera Maori. Their knowledge of the forest is second to none, but until now these skills have not been valued economically, hence many in the area are long-term unemployed. We are sure that you will enjoy your day and that the local Maori appreciate your contribution to this very special landscape.

 

The Urewera Rainforest Restoration represents the commitment and vision of TravelEssence to the ongoing, sustainable and positive influence that tourism can have on environments and societies.

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