Planting the Future: Supporting the Te Mamaku Native Corridor

Community | Company | In The News

Driving the stretch of SH60 between Tasman Village and Māpua, you may not notice at first glance the transformation taking place. But behind the scenes, and now increasingly in plain sight, a dedicated group of locals has been planting the seeds for something remarkable. The Te Mamaku Native Corridor Project is turning unused, overgrown land into a 10km stretch of native forest, and we’re proud to lend our support.

The vision is bold: to link the Moutere Inlet with the Waimea Estuary by restoring a continuous corridor of native bush along the eastern side of the highway. What began in 2022 with the planting of 1,800 trees has since grown into one of the region’s most inspiring environmental initiatives, involving thousands of plants, hundreds of volunteer hours, and a strong sense of community spirit.

Coordinated by the Tasman Environmental Trust, the project is now well into its third year. More than 12,000 native trees were planted in 2023 alone, 11,200 in 2024 and the 2025 season started early in May. The planting mixes fast-growing species with canopy trees to quickly build a healthy, biodiverse habitat for native birds, insects and other wildlife. Clearing wilding pines and invasive weeds is a key part of the work, with large areas already transformed through the effort of contractors and volunteers alike.

Golden Bay Fruit is supporting the planting of 100 native trees this year as part of our commitment to the region we call home. In the months ahead, we also look forward to taking part in one of the group weeding days, rolling up our sleeves and joining the community effort firsthand.

To find out more or get involved, visit the Te Mamaku Native Corridor Project online or check out their drone video showing the planting progress. You can also watch the inspiring story featured on TVNZ’s Good Sorts segment here.