Forever Trees is a passion project of Mandy Richards and John Etherington. Having both spent nearly 30 years in the adventure travel industry, we have seen so much damage caused by deforestation around the world. Now we are on a mission to get involved in restoring and re-establishing land back to native forest here at home in Nelson, New Zealand and around the world!
The world needs more trees - Lets get started!
In over two decades of owning an adventure travel company and leading cycle tours around the world, including through Africa, Central Asia, South America and here at home in New Zealand, we watched this deforestation and land degradation occur before our eyes, year on year. This prompted us to begin incorporating tree planting on our tours, working with local schools and plant nurseries.
In 2022 we sold our travel company to see where we could fit into the forest restoration industry in New Zealand and planning how we could return to some of our favorite destinations to continue with, and grow, these planting projects. We have now partnered with eight different reforestation projects in Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar and now you can join us in these incredible countries on a tree planting holiday and help plant trees and be a part of the solution.
Here in New Zealand we took over a small nursery where we grow a range of native restoration species from wild sourced seed for reforestation, wetland planting, farm planting and urban forests.
Reforesting our world is so important for our and our planets future. Government departments, councils and landowners work together bringing land back to it’s original state. Yes, it can be costly and take lot of work, time and maintenance. But the investment is worth it. Within a few years, primary species out compete pastures. They begin to fruit and seed and birds return bringing greater variety of seeds with them. Then in just a couple more years the canopy species start to establish. Hillsides become more stable, river banks strengthen, soil becomes more enriched and rivers shaded with native bush run clean. The habitat for native birds, lizards and insects grow. Biodiversity returns. This is the future we’re invested in.