NZ Landcare Trust

What NZ Landcare Trust does

NZ Landcare Trust (Ngā Matapopore Whenua) is an independent New Zealand charitable trust founded in 1996 and headquartered in Hamilton on the University of Waikato campus. The organization delivers community-led sustainable land and water management through a national network of field-based coordinators that support more than 100 catchment groups and engage 963 organizations nationwide. Its primary beneficiaries are farmers, landowners, catchment groups, schools, and rural communities seeking expertise and funding to undertake environmental restoration, biodiversity, and water-quality projects.

The trust's program portfolio includes the Westpac Water Care Project (an annual grant of $10,000 awarded to seven catchment groups, with 24 environmental initiatives funded since 2022), the three-year Managing Wetlands as Farm Assets initiative establishing 14 demonstration sites in Canterbury, the Taiea Te Taiao ecological corridor connecting Maungatautari and Pirongia, and the Farming with Native Biodiversity programme paired with e-learning modules. Its digital platform hosts tools such as WETMAK (Wetlands Monitoring and Assessment Kit), the Good Management Practices framework, predator management and biosecurity guides, regional planting guides, and resources on pest plants and willow/alder control. Reported cumulative impact includes 74,911 native plants planted, 39,000 hectares under predator control, and $503,287 in funding facilitated for community groups.

NZ Landcare Trust operates as a non-profit charitable trust. Funding is sourced from corporate partners including Westpac NZ, Bupa Foundation, and Fonterra, alongside government agencies such as the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), the Ministry for the Environment (MFE), and the Waikato River Authority. All services to catchment groups, farmers, and communities are provided at no charge, with the trust functioning as both a programme operator and a fund-distribution intermediary. Its go-to-market approach is community-led, combining field coordinators, events, workshops, webinars, and an online resource library distributed through its website, quarterly newsletters, and social channels.

Name

NZ Landcare Trust

Legal name

NZ Landcare Trust

Website

https://landcare.org.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NZ Landcare Trust (Ngā Matapopore Whenua) is a New Zealand-based independent charitable trust founded in 1996 that delivers community-led sustainable land and water management through a national network of field-based coordinators supporting 100+ catchment groups and 963 organizations nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

akta.pro primary industry

Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conservation Easements & Land Trust Services (AFAMAMAH)

Keywords

• Environmental management services
• Catchment group support
• Sustainable land management
• Wetland restoration programs
• Community conservation grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamilton

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant and Funding Management: The trust manages funding and grants from various partners and supporters, distributing funds to catchment groups and community projects. They have helped secure $503,287 in funding for groups.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NZ Landcare Trust is a national independent NGO that delivers community-led sustainable land and water management support through a network of field-based coordinators, expert advice, downloadable resources, workshops, e-learning, and grant programs for catchment groups, farmers, and landowners. Its core service is brokering expertise, resources, and funding between specialists, partner organisations, and grassroots community groups across New Zealand.

Product overview

NZ Landcare Trust is a national independent NGO operating as a grassroots organization that provides community-led sustainable land and water management support. Rather than a unified software product, it offers a portfolio of environmental programs and educational resources including: Managing Wetlands as Farm Assets, Farming with Native Biodiversity, Taiea Te Taiao Ecological Corridor, WETMAK wetland monitoring tool, and the Junior Landcare programme. The Trust delivers its mission through national network support for catchment groups, workshops, webinars, downloadable resources (Good Management Practices, Predator Management guides, Pest Plant & Biosecurity resources), and grant programs like the Westpac Water Care Project. The organization focuses on connecting communities with expert guidance and funding to achieve environmental outcomes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 74,911 native plants planted and 963 organisations engaged in the most recent reporting period
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPI supports the trust's initiatives as a key government partner in primary industry and biosecurity matters.
• Bupa FoundationsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerBupa Foundation supports NZ Landcare Trust's Junior Landcare programme, focusing on engaging young people in environmental conservation.
• FonterrasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerFonterra supports the trust's wetland restoration efforts through their 'Doing Good' initiative, helping to revitalise wetlands across the country.
• Ministry for the Environment (MFE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner supporting sustainable land and water management initiatives.
• Aotearoa Catchment ExtensionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organisation supporting catchment management and extension services.
• Waikato River AuthoritysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-created the 'Best Practice Guidelines for Willow and Alder Control for Riparian Restoration' with support from the Waikato River Authority.
• Catchment Groups (Funded Projects)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVarious catchment groups across New Zealand receive grants and support through the Westpac Water Care Project for environmental initiatives including school-based community planting, erosion control, wetland restoration, invasive weed removal, and native fish habitat protection.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• QEII National Trust: New Zealand's largest private land conservation organization, working with landowners to protect native ecosystems through covenants and stewardship. Directly comparable as a national NGO delivering land conservation outcomes through landowner partnerships in New Zealand.
• Living Water (Fonterra-DOC Partnership): A partnership between Fonterra and the Department of Conservation focused on improving water quality and biodiversity on and around Fonterra farms. Directly comparable as it works on the same farming-environment intersection that NZ Landcare Trust addresses through its Good Management Practices and wetland restoration work.
• Trees That Count: A New Zealand conservation initiative facilitating native tree planting through a marketplace connecting funders with planting projects. Directly comparable in the native planting space, complementing NZ Landcare Trust's 74,911 native plants planted work, though operating through a more transactional model.
• Predator Free 2050: A New Zealand government-backed initiative aiming to eliminate invasive predators by 2050. Comparable focus on predator control (NZ Landcare Trust manages 39,000 HA under predator control) and community-led conservation delivery across NZ.
• Landcare Australia: Australia's peak national landcare body supporting community-led environmental action across Australia. Directly comparable in mission, structure (community-led NGO), and delivery model (grassroots catchment/community group support), though serving Australia rather than NZ.
• Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand: New Zealand's leading independent conservation NGO advocating for nature protection. Comparable as an independent NZ conservation NGO working on biodiversity and environmental advocacy, though with a broader advocacy mandate than NZ Landcare Trust's catchment-focused delivery model.
• WWF-New Zealand: The New Zealand arm of the World Wildlife Fund, an independent conservation NGO working on freshwater, climate, and biodiversity. Comparable as a NZ conservation NGO operating on related freshwater and biodiversity outcomes, though with greater international affiliation and policy focus.

Broad incumbents

• Department of Conservation (DOC): New Zealand's central government agency managing conservation land and biodiversity. Broader incumbent with statutory mandate covering public conservation land; overlaps with NZ Landcare Trust on biodiversity outcomes but operates through government channels rather than community-led catchment support.
• Environment Canterbury (ECan): Regional council managing Canterbury's natural resources, including water quality, biodiversity, and land management. Broader public-sector body with regulatory and operational roles overlapping with NZ Landcare Trust's catchment support work in the Canterbury region.

Emerging players

• Ngāi Tahu Farming / Te Whenua Hou (Ngāi Tahu): An iwi-led agricultural and conservation entity combining commercial farming with cultural and environmental restoration. Comparable in the farming-environment intersection that NZ Landcare Trust addresses through Good Management Practices, with a stronger iwi governance model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@nzlandcaretrust
• Facebookfacebook.com/nzlandcaretrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/nzlandcaretrust
• Xx.com/landcaretrust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NZ Landcare Trust