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We believe that it is a privilege to be able to visit and interact within the Fiordland National Park, and that to continue our relationship with this environment we should operate in as sustainable a manner as possible.
SUSTAINABLE TOURISM SOUTH PROJECT
As a result of the practicality of this scheme and the achievements we’ve already made towards more sustainable business practices, we have decided not to renew our Green Globe Affiliation despite having been Green Globe Affiliates since it’s inception into New Zealand in 2002. We’re also involved in a number of local conservation projects. These are generally established to help preserve many of New Zealand’s species of native birds. New Zealand is quite unique as a country, with only 2 native species of land mammals: the long tailed and the short tailed bats. All other land mammals are introduced and many have a hugely detrimental effect on the native bird populations. Stoats
Marine Reserves and Surveys Marine surveys have been carried out in Fiordland for the last 6 years, to try to assess the effectiveness of marine reserves in protecting and encouraging marine species.
Offsetting Carbon Emissions
We are also keen to encourage our clients to offset their travel-related carbon emissions (as a minimum) by buying carbon credits. For more information regarding this, check out www.ebex21.co.nz where you’ll find a calculator to help you to identify energy costs and CO2 emissions. There is also an option to buy an appropriate number of carbon credits through a donation to a regeneration project, thereby contributing towards making your travels ‘carbon-neutral’.
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This project is a joint venture between Destination Fiordland and Venture Southland to assist tourism businesses to develop plans for environmental sustainability. We applied for and were selected as a pilot business for the project in December 2005. The business was assessed, with advice given by an environmental consultant, meaning that we now have an excellent action plan to work with.
For further information please visit 
Stoats are part of the mustelid family of animals and were originally brought over the New Zealand to control the population explosion of the introduced rabbits. The stoats however soon discovered that New Zealand’s ground dwelling birds are a much better target for an easy meal and it is in order to protect these birds (many of which are now endangered) that the Tawaki Adventures Team, together with other small business operators in the area, manage a series of stoat traps along the Milford Road in the Cleddau Valley. Since the establishment of this trapping system the numbers of blue duck (or whio) have not only stopped declining but are increasing in numbers dramatically within the target area.
The blue duck is one of only 4 species of torrent ducks in the world. They live in clean, fast-moving rivers around the alpine areas of New Zealand. We are not only involved via Tawaki Adventures’s participation in the stoat trapping project, but also in the location and tagging of female blue ducks, to assist the Department of Conservation with the captive rearing and wild release of the young ducks.
We endeavour to manage and reduce our energy use while at the same time reducing carbon emissions; to this end we have an initiated and area of native bush regeneration and the planting of native trees on our property.