Ōkārito Plant Project Wins National Tourism Award for Regenerative Tourism Leadership

Paula Sheridan
3 hours ago
2 min read

The Ōkārito Plant Project has been recognised nationally, winning the Tourism Collaboration Award at the 2025 New Zealand Tourism Awards — a significant milestone for regenerative tourism on the West Coast of Aotearoa New Zealand.

As reported by The Press, the award celebrates the project’s collaborative, community-led model that connects tourism, conservation and local business to actively restore native ecosystems in South Westland.

What Is the Ōkārito Plant Project?

The Ōkārito Plant Project is a regenerative tourism initiative based in South Westland, focused on restoring native biodiversity through eco-sourced planting, habitat regeneration and community involvement.

Unlike traditional sustainability programmes, the project goes further — creating opportunities for tourism operators, visitors, schools and volunteers to contribute directly to conservation outcomes.

Through collective action, the initiative has helped:

Restore thousands of native plants across Ōkārito and surrounding areas
Strengthen predator-control and habitat resilience
Engage tourism businesses in long-term environmental stewardship
Create meaningful visitor experiences linked to conservation

This model demonstrates how tourism in New Zealand can move beyond “low impact” to become truly regenerative.

Ōkārito Plant Project Wins National Tourism Collaboration Award – National Recognition

Winning the National Tourism Collaboration Award at the New Zealand Tourism Awards places the Ōkārito Plant Project among leading tourism innovators across the country.

The award specifically recognises outstanding partnership and cooperation within the tourism sector — highlighting how businesses, landowners and community groups can work together to achieve measurable environmental impact.

For the West Coast, this national recognition reinforces the region’s leadership in conservation-based tourism and regenerative practices.

Tourism Collaboration Award Winner Banner

Regenerative Tourism on the West Coast

The landscapes of South Westland — wetlands, forests and coastal ecosystems — are central to both community identity and visitor experience.

By integrating restoration into tourism activity, the Ōkārito Plant Project supports:

Biodiversity protection
Climate resilience through native planting
Local economic sustainability
Community engagement and education

This approach ensures tourism contributes positively to the very environments that attract visitors in the first place.

Looking Ahead: Growing Regenerative Impact

Following this national award, the focus remains on expanding restoration efforts, strengthening partnerships and deepening community participation.

The Ōkārito Plant Project continues to build a long-term, scalable model for regenerative tourism in New Zealand — one that other regions can learn from.