50 Years: Partnering with the Tindall Foundation

WWF is the Environmental Donation Manager for The Tindall Foundation and together we have delivered community conservation and educational funding support for more than 25 years.

It’s been an amazing journey that began with the Habitat Protection Fund in 1999. Later, in 2021, this evolved into the Community Conservation Fund, which aims to empower iwi, volunteer groups, and conservation trusts to educate tamariki and rangatahi, restore wild places, and protect taonga species such as kiwi and tuatara.

The Community Conservation Fund provides funds for a range of activities that help to protect or restore biodiversity and ecosystems in Aotearoa. It is targeted at experienced community groups with a proven track record of delivering conservation and restoration projects.

One example is Native Bird Rescue, which provides a safe haven for little penguins on Waiheke Island. The group’s Whakarauora Kororā project focuses on the rescue and rehabilitation of kororā from the Auckland and Hauraki Gulf regions.

Native Bird Rescue’s facilities include an avian vet clinic with state-of-the-art X-ray equipment, a dedicated kororā habitat, and a seabird rehabilitation pool, all supported by a highly experienced team and dedicated volunteers. 

We are proud to support this project and many others ranging from the translocation of tuatara, the protection of long-tailed bats/pekapeka, predator eradication efforts, and educational programmes for rangatahi. Read more about some of the initiatives funded through the Community Conservation Grants in partnership with The Tindall Foundation: 2024/2025 Conservation Grants | WWF-New Zealand.

We know that people learn the value of protecting the environment when they take action themselves. By cleaning up and restoring their local stream or contributing directly to native species protection, people get a first-hand learning experience – one that can inspire a lifetime of sustainable living.

There have been many highlights over the years including establishing the Conservation Innovation Awards to encourage environmental game-changers. The Awards, which ran from 2014-2019, supported innovators to fast-track their ideas to development. Previous winners include a ground-breaking Vespex wasp bait and the Trap Minder early response system for predator trap networks. 

We also collaborated on initiatives such as Reconnecting Northland in the early phases of the work. This is a wonderful initiative working towards Te Ao Mārama - The World of Enlightenment, so that in three generations Northland is a flourishing tapestry of abundant and resilient ecosystems.

In total, The Tindall Foundation has donated an incredible $8 million so far. We thank them for their generous support of our work and look forward to another 50 years in partnership together!