Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust
“Nau mai haere mai ki Tasman Bay Guardians.”
About Mountains to Sea
Established in 2002 in Northland, the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust (CC23406) views education as a vital part of society and central to environmental restoration. As a charitable umbrella and support organisation, it oversees the Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) marine education and Whitebait Connection (WBC) freshwater education programmes. These programmes involve young people, their whānau, and the wider hapori (community).
The Northland-based Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust has been a leading model in education for sustainability in Aotearoa. Both the Whitebait Connection (WBC) and Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) reinforce simple concepts such as the uniqueness of our freshwater and marine biodiversity and focus on the conservation of these environments through education and action
The Mountains to Sea programmes focus on schools as a focal point for communities to come together and see the future of marine and freshwater through the eyes of their tamariki, thereby motivating meaningful learning and long-term behaviour change in both today’s and tomorrow’s generations
School Programmes
The Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust has been running school programmes since 2002, including Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR), Whitebait Connection (WBC), National Īnanga Spawning Programme (NISP) and Drains to Harbour (DTH) since 2006. Ākonga start by learning in the classroom and then get out into their local environment to apply and integrate their knowledge through the inquiry learning cycle.
The programmes are tailored to each kura with a limited number of fully funded programmes available, as well as user-paid options.
Mountains to Sea and Tasman Bay Guardians
Tasman Bay Guardians deliver the Mountains to Sea’s experiential programmes (WBC,EMR,NISP, DTH) across Te Tau Ihu. These well-established educational programmes are implemented nationwide through various regional providers, aligning with multiple curriculum standards and undergoing regular safety audits.
As the regional providers under the Mountains to Sea umbrella, Tasman Bay Guardians also deliver the Wai Connection project. Through these initiatives, we foster kaitiakitanga and empower our community to engage in meaningful conservation actions.
Get Involved
Join us in making a difference!
Whether you’re passionate about marine and freshwater ecosystems or simply want to give back, there are many ways to get involved. Volunteer with us, donate to support our initiatives, become a member to stay informed or sponsor a program to make a lasting impact. Share the positive news of our efforts with your friends and whānau or participate as a citizen-scientist and help us inspire more people to join our cause. Together, we can create thriving, healthy environments for future generations. Your support matters!
