South Marlborough Landscape Restoration Trust

South Marlborough Landscape Restoration Trust - Mission!

The South Marlborough Landscape Restoration Trust’s aim is to restore and protect the iconic scenic tussock grassland and alpine landscapes of South Marlborough and increase the area’s biodiversity by reducing the extent of wilding pines.

Our efforts cover an area of 870,000 hectares, all the way from south of the Wairau River and the foothills of Blenheim to the Clarence and Molesworth Station in the south. Our goal is to reduce wilding pines in South Marlborough in areas of 50,000 hectares per year. Since our 2016 start, we've covered 130,000 hectares.

With your help, we can increase native biodiversity and have positive impacts on our ecosystems, cultural and historic values, recreation and reduce fire risk in South Marlborough.

The money raised will go towards our very important Branch Leatham volunteer programme to help with resources such as tools, vehicles and hiking equipment.

The Branch Leatham/Lost Valley is not part of the National Programme for funding – its 52,000 Ha bordering Nelson National Park, Rainbow Range and Waihopai Valley and is covered in wilding pines and Douglas fir with ever decreasing biodiversity. We decided to make this our focus area for all our volunteer programmes: Back Country, Community and Corporate, due to it’s position and effect on the main head water catchment from the upper Waihopai that flows into the Wairau River and in turn challenging future water supply for Marlborough’s many industries.