Success Stories
Rotorua Sustainable Tourism Charter members are always implementing new and innovative sustainable business practices. Check back here regularly to learn about the contributions Charter member businesses are making towards sustainability.
Sustainability in Action @ Te Urewera Treks
Jun 3, 2010
Joe Doherty of Te Urewera was a presenter at the May 2010 Sustainability in Action function and following is a summary of his presentation.
The Te Urewera National Park is one of the least visited National Parks in New Zealand. Joe Doherty’s vision is to change this through what can only be described as pure ecotourism principles. As well as being nature based, a key philosophy for the company is employing guides from the local Tuhoe tribe and currently five are employed. “We want our business to support the local community, enhance the environment, share Maori history and culture with our visitors and of course be profitable” says Joe.
The business has a small bush camp for its overnight guests. According to Joe this raised a number of sustainability issues that needed to be addressed. For example, the small amount of electricity used at the camp is provided from a solar panel and a composting toilet is provided for guests. Water is pumped from the nearby stream and used shower water is purified through a wetland system. “It is also important to use only environmentally friendly hygiene products such as soap and shampoo so we use Eco Store and other environmentally friendly products at the camp” says Joe. As the company collects most of its clients from Rotorua there is a carbon cost to these transfers. Using diesel vans and ensuring they are well maintained and driven to minimize fuel consumption helps reduce these costs. The company has initiated a major forest restoration project and part of the visitors’ experience includes planting a native tree to support this project. “This not only helps preserve the area’s biodiversity but also helps offset some of the carbon emissions associated with our visitors coming here” says Joe. Joe is aiming to achieve a Qualmark Enviro-Gold rating in the near future.
‘Click here >>>’ to download the Te Urewera Treks fact sheet for this function.
