New Zealand: Community Impact Award Entrant

Article reprinted from the December 2023 Commerce Comment Magazine, Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce

Trans-Tasman forestry company OneFortyOne manages 80,000 hectares of and including pine plantation and conservation areas in Te Tauihu. The land it manages is owned by local iwi Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Te Ātiawa o te Waka-a-Māui and Ngāti Tama ki Te Tau Ihu, and it also has freehold land.

In 2021/2022, OneFortyOne developed a new five-year strategy, with a new purpose: Growing a Better Tomorrow. Kylie Reeves, OneFortyOne New Zealand’s Corporate Affairs Manager says this purpose guides her work and brings sustainability and community to the forefront.

Kylie says she entered the community impact award because she wanted to show the multitude of different ways businesses like OneFortyOne make a positive difference in our communities.

“There are many examples of how we do this from partnering with Habitat for Humanity to help build community homes, to investing in long-term sediment studies to build industry best practices, to supporting seagrass research and positive climate action.

“Our forests are a valued recreation resource for the local community offering a wide range of activities, including mountain biking, walking, running, horse riding, hunting and beekeeping,” said Kylie.

Investing in communities
OneFortyOne’s community grants programme offers one-off grants of up to $5,000. Since the programme launched in July 2021, OneFortyOne New Zealand has supported 55 community projects in the region.

OneFortyOne is also proud of its long-term sponsorship partners:

• Habitat for Humanity, providing affordable community homes
• Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust
• Seagrass Restoration Research with Cawthron Institute
• Wasp Wipeout programme with Tasman Environment Trust
• Young Enterprise Scheme with the Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce

Forest access
Providing community access to our forests is another valuable way they can positively impact the community. They’ve created hubs in their forests for mountain bikers, and are currently creating new hubs for horse riders and walkers. They also offer community access via permit system, giving access to hundreds of recreational users, eg. hunters, walkers, runners, horse riders and beekeepers.

Environmental research
Donald Creek Sediment Study, Tadmor – OneFortyOne has invested in a seven-year forestry study looking at the impact of sediment in rivers from harvesting and earthworks. The $2.7 million study is jointly funded by Ministry of Primary Industries and OneFortyOne and is now in its fifth year.

Kea research – OneFortyOne has funded $100,000 over five years to the Kea Conservation Trust to help protect kea. Their funding has contributed to a suite of projects, including a study focused on kea habitat in plantation forests. This work is vital for guiding effective conservation management strategies and ensuring that no negative interactions occur between kea and forestry workers and their equipment.

As a long-term business, healthy environments and strong communities are everything – and this connects them with their purpose of ‘Growing a better tomorrow.’