Rewilding — the restoration of native ecosystems through pest control, native planting, and species reintroduction — is a major conservation priority in New Zealand. Aotearoa has some of the world's most ambitious rewilding projects, including Predator Free 2050. This guide covers the key funding sources for rewilding and large-scale ecological restoration.
DOC is the primary conservation funder:
- Biodiversity restoration: Native habitat and species restoration funding
- Community conservation fund: Grants for community conservation projects
- Predator control: Funding for predator-free operations
- Species recovery: Funding for threatened species recovery
- Ecological islands: Offshore island and fenced sanctuary support
Predator Free NZ Trust funds large-scale predator elimination:
- Community predator-free projects
- Landscape-scale projects targeting stoats, rats, and possums
- Urban predator-free suburbs and townships
- Technology development for predator elimination
This is the key funder for ambitious neighbourhood and regional rewilding projects.
Māori-led rewilding:
- Te Puni Kōkiri: Kaitiakitanga and ecological restoration
- Iwi environmental funds: Tribal rewilding and ecological restoration
- Ngā Whenua Rāhui: Māori land conservation covenants
- He Reo Pohatu: Community-led conservation
Iwi are increasingly leading ambitious rewilding projects on ancestral land.
MfE funds ecological restoration:
- Biodiversity Fund: Ecological restoration investment
- National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity: Implementation support
- Climate resilience: Ecosystem restoration as carbon sequestration
MBIE Endeavour Fund funds conservation science:
- Pest control technology research
- Ecological restoration science
- Rewilding monitoring and measurement
Lottery Environment and Heritage: Ecological restoration, native planting, and conservation.
Private foundations funding rewilding:
- Tindall Foundation: Environmental sustainability and conservation
- Southern Skies Trust: South Island conservation
- Wilderland Trust: Large-scale rewilding
- Te Aho Noa: Community biodiversity
Fenced predator-free sanctuaries:
- Predator Free NZ Trust: Funding for new fenced areas
- DOC: Support for sanctuary management
- Private funders: Sanctuary capital campaigns
Major NZ sanctuaries: Zealandia (Wellington), Maungatautari (Waikato), Cape Sanctuary, Orokonui.
Ecosystem services funding:
- ETS (Emissions Trading Scheme): Carbon credits for native afforestation
- Voluntary carbon markets: Native restoration projects generating carbon
- Biodiversity credits: Emerging markets for biodiversity outcomes
Native forest rewilding can generate carbon credits — a new revenue stream for large-scale restoration.
Species recovery funders:
- DOC species recovery: Kiwi, kākāpō, takahē, kōkako, and others
- Kiwis for kiwi: Community kiwi conservation
- Albatross and seabird conservation: DOC-led species recovery
Strong applications demonstrate:
- Ecological outcomes: Species counts before and after, habitat area, pest numbers
- Scale: Hectares under active management
- Pest control: Trap network density and maintenance plan
- Native planting: Species planted and survival rates
- Monitoring: Long-term ecological monitoring plan
- Community and iwi: Local community and Māori partnership
- Sustainability: Plan for ongoing pest control beyond grant period
- Scientific basis: Evidence-based conservation approach
Tahua's grants management platform helps conservation organisations manage rewilding grant applications across DOC, Predator Free NZ Trust, MfE, Lottery, iwi funders, and environmental foundations, tracking ecological restoration, pest control, and species outcomes.