The scale and impact of community and business conservation efforts on the West Coast are being recognised this Conservation Week - and people are urged to get involved.
Western South Island Operations Director Owen Kilgour says Coasters appreciate the place we live in and are doing their bit to look after it.
"We're seeing the impact various groups and initiatives have on our plants, species, and special places and we want to say thank you and encourage people to get involved however they can. We have a unique relationship with the environment here on Te Tai Poutini – when we look after nature, nature looks after us.
"Across the West Coast, we are aware of over 70 community groups doing great work with animals like little penguins and great spotted kiwi, looking after recreation assets such as huts and tracks, maintaining trapping networks and removing pest plant species which smother our native vegetation.
"All up, we project the input these groups make to our conservation effort equates to around $2.3 million over a 5-year period, which shows Coasters really value the nature that surrounds us. This is a massive contribution, given our small population.
"We are also collaborating with Development West Coast's Nature Economy Partnership (NEP), which is facilitating and leading cross sector involvement in conservation. Across the West Coast, from June 2022 to February 2026, this partnership facilitated 14,240 volunteer hours toward conservation, planted almost 30,000 trees and created 13.4 full time equivalent jobs in the conservation sector."
Development West Coast Chief Executive Heath Milne says the Nature Economy Partnership makes it easy for businesses to get involved.
"The partnership facilitates involvement in conservation through a portfolio of 'ready to roll' projects businesses can invest in, either with staff time or financial contribution, with reporting on outcomes provided so investors can see how their resources are contributing."
Nature Economy Partnership Lead Zak Shaw says there are many benefits to investing in nature.
"Customers are looking for companies who are environmentally active, it can provide brand leverage opportunities, increase community cohesion and ultimately lead to better wellbeing. It also supports the diversification of our West Coast economy, alongside our primary industries and services, and contributes to meaningful job creation. The NEP provides a clear demonstration that when we invest in the health of nature, our communities and economy can thrive alongside it.
"Thoughtful investment in the West Coast Nature Economy Partnership makes the West Coast a better place to live. In my view, the long-term prosperity of the West Coast is inextricably linked to the health of its natural environment. Our forests, waterways and biodiversity are not just assets to protect, but the very foundation of future economic resilience. Through the NEP, we're seeing how business and community involvement in nature-positive activities can deliver real impact."
Owen adds, "taking care of our environment isn't just a nice to have – it's a must do, so we can preserve our way of life and our natural and cultural heritage. As well as the opportunities for business to get involved, people can also get naturing in a personal capacity – by volunteering for a conservation group, joining a planting day, trapping pests, or grandparents getting their kids started in a love for nature. Whatever you can do, do your bit."
NATURE LOOKS DIFFERENT FROM HERE
Nature isn't scenery. Nature is a society that we rely on for everything, every day. It's behind our identity and our way of life.
