May 1, 2026

Tourism has long been framed around experiences.

Where you go? What you see? How it makes you feel?

Increasingly, there is another question being asked by visitors. What difference did my visit make?

Future Forests is our attempt to answer that question in a practical and measurable way.

Developed in partnership with our mates at Terra & Tide, Future Forests is a Waiheke-based initiative that enables groups to incorporate native tree planting into their visit. It is designed for corporates, schools, incentive groups and other organised programmes where there is both the time and intent to do something meaningful alongside the zipline experience itself.

The concept is simple. Visitor activity is channelled directly into ecological restoration. Native trees, grown from eco-sourced seed by local nurseries, are planted on carefully selected sites across the island. These sites are not chosen at random. They are identified and prepared in advance, with planting programmes designed and overseen by Waiheke ecologist Kym Rawson, to ensure they are appropriate to the land and will deliver long term environmental value.

The first of these sites sits alongside Te Matuku Marine Reserve, one of Waiheke’s most significant estuarine environments. It is also an area where kiwi have recently been reintroduced, with encouraging signs that the population is beginning to establish itself. The connection between planting, habitat restoration and biodiversity is direct and visible.

For participants, the experience is straightforward but grounded. After a briefing on the site and its ecological context, groups take part in planting under expert guidance. There is time to understand why particular species are selected, how they contribute to water quality and erosion control, and what the site may look like in ten or twenty years. It is hands on, but it is also informative.

From a visitor perspective, Future Forests reflects a broader shift in how people want to travel. Many visitors are still looking for great experiences. That has not changed. What has changed is the expectation that those experiences should contribute positively to the places they visit. Not in an abstract sense, but in ways that are visible and credible.

For organisers, whether they are inbound tour operators, event planners, conference organisers or school coordinators, the programme provides a structured way to build that contribution into an itinerary. It sits comfortably alongside other activities and adds a layer of purpose that resonates with participants.

For us, it is a natural extension of the way we have always approached tourism. Since starting EcoZip, we have worked on the principle that a successful business should also leave a positive mark on its environment and community. Native planting, pest control and restoration have been part of that journey from the beginning.

Future Forests takes that a step further by inviting visitors to be part of it.

The trees planted today will continue to grow long after the visit is over. In time they will help restore native landscapes, support wildlife and improve the health of the land. That is the legacy. Not something symbolic, but something that endures.