Queenstown Airport and Remarkables Station National trust Ltd have formed a partnership to restore native biodiversity at the base of the Remarkables/Kawarau mountain range.
Remarkables Station is a 1,222-hectare property nestled between the mountains and Lake Whakatipu. It is currently leased as a working deer, cattle, and sheep farm. The station was owned by the Jardine family for almost a century until 2022, when Dick and Jillian Jardine gifted the property to the QEII National Trust to protect it in perpetuity. Ownership was transferred to Remarkables Station National Trust Ltd, a subsidiary of QEII.
This month, Queenstown Airport and Remarkables Station National Trust Ltd have entered into a memorandum of understanding based on a shared desire to protect and restore this spectacular landholding.
The aim is to eradicate a sycamore tree infestation, allowing native plants to regenerate across about 100 hectares of land over the coming decade. The overall vision is to restore the native forest ecosystem and create a sanctuary for biodiversity by clearing invasive weeds, removing livestock from the restoration area, and supporting sustainable native forest regeneration.
Nita Smith, of the Remarkables Station National Trust said: "We recognise the unique opportunity to develop the station as a best-practice model of integrated land use, incorporating pastoral farming, conservation, landscape protection, and community access and recreation."
"An important step in realising the long-term strategic vision for the land is biodiversity restoration. We wish to retire some paddocks from grazing and there is a substantial amount of weed control, pest management, and waterway protection work to undertake.
"We are thrilled Queenstown Airport is partnering with us to enable this vision," Ms Smith said.
Queenstown Airport General Manager Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Sara Irvine said: "The Remarkables are the first thing passengers see when they step off a plane at Queenstown Airport and they are an iconic symbol of this region."
"One of the nine core commitments in our Sustainability Strategy is to work with key partners to actively restore our native habitat for the benefit of future generations, so we were quick to seize the opportunity to contribute to this wonderful long-term project."
Queenstown Airport has committed to contribute $25,000 a year, as well as providing in-kind support for this project.
Caption: From left, Queenstown Airport General Manager Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Sara Irvine, QEII National Trust Whakatipu Relationship Manager Nita Smith, and Queenstown Airport Sustainability Manager Natalie Reeves celebrate an agreement to restore native biodiversity on 100 hectares of Remarkables Station.
