About us
Freshwater and marine kaitiakitanga
The Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, originally Nga Maunga ki te Moana, began in Northland, New Zealand. It has since grown into a national leader in conservation, environmental education, and community-driven restoration. The Trust's mission is to protect and connect New Zealand’s freshwater and marine environments, fostering conservation through education and community engagement.
Top level strategy 2024-2027
Whakamana te maunga,
Whakamana te wai,
He mauri o ngā tangata,
Ngā mea katoa he pai.
If we look after the water from
the mountains to the sea,
it will look after us.
It is our life force.
Vision
Thriving freshwater and marine environments that are protected and restored by connected communities.
What we do
We immerse communities in their freshwater and marine environments, sharing experiences, scientific knowledge, and practical skills to inspire conservation.
Guiding principles
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Honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
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Collaboration and ‘open source’ data sharing.
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Empowerment and innovation.
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Integrity, pono and aroha.
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Fun and passion.
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Community centered conservation.
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Experientially connecting people to te taiao.
Strategic goals
Taiao — Environmental change, restoration and resilience.
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Help enact active improvements to the environment.
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Ensure changes are increasingly monitored.
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Increase application of all knowledge streams.
Tangata — Honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and uplifting and supporting the agency of communities.
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Become a Tangata Tiriti organisation.
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Empower communities through experiential learning.
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Develop effective tools to support advocacy and restoration.
Organisation — Develop and implement:
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A sustainable funding model.
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A fit-for-purpose operating model.
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An effective communications and marketing strategy.
Annual Report 2025
Wai Connection Year 2 Report
Annual Report 2024
Annual Report 2023
Annual Report 2022
Annual Report 2021
Annual Report 2020
Annual Report 2019
Annual Report 2018
Annual Report 2017
Annual Report 2016
Annual Report 2015
Annual Report 2014
Annual Report 2013
Annual Report 2012
Annual Report 2011
Annual Report 2009
Annual reports
Explore our annual reports to find out what we've been up to... since 2008!
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