About Us - Trips & Tramps
Sustainability at Trips & Tramps
Trips & Tramps is committed to a sustainable future and to improving the social, economic, and environmental well-being of the local Fiordland community in which we call home.
We are dedicated to environmental improvements that foster a sustainable business, with a range of waste reduction and environmental initiatives embedded in our business.
Sustainability and protecting the environment have long been at the core of Trips & Tramps' operations. Owners Kate and Steve strongly believe in protecting the natural landscape and working hard to leave Fiordland better than they found it.
This ethos has been woven into every tour, every business decision and every guest’s commitment since 2003. This has been a long-standing mission with all our activities and align with Southland Regional Tourism’s sustainable southland initiative.
Conservation
Trips & Tramps was one of the first businesses to run a trapping programme starting in 1990. The team would check the predator traps on the foreshore delta area, at the heart of Milford Sound and although it is now managed by contractors, we are delighted to be hearing the chorus of native birdsong in recent times. As responsible concessionaires, we work with the Department of Conservation (DOC) to support other conservation initiatives around biodiversity and visitor assets.
Steve is a trustee on the Coal Island Trust and the Kepler Challenge Mountain Run Trust. The Coal Island Trust was established to fund a sanctuary on Coal Island in Fiordland for endangered native species of flora and fauna and to become a home for rare and endangered birds like the Kiwi.
The Kepler Challenge Mountain Run Trust supports stoat eradication along the Kepler track and has removed over 3000 rats and 900 stoats from the area since 2010.
Community Support
Te Anau is a unique and tight-knit community, and Trips & Tramps are proud to regularly support local initiatives and organisations that help the township and its people thrive. Trips & Tramps have made numerous financial and resource donations over the years to local events and community groups, and Kate is an active member of the Fiordland Community Board for the Southland District Council.
Our donations have aided the Kepler Challenge Mountain Run, Fiordland College, Fiordland Community Event Centre, Fiordland Squash Club, Te Anau School, and Fiordland Trails Trust to name a few.
Sustainability Business Practises
At Trips & Tramps, we have made a commitment to measure and manage our emissions. We aspire for our company to become carbon-neutral and to encourage other local businesses to follow this path.
Trips & Tramps recognises that it operates in a special area of the world, Fiordland National Park and that its operations and resource use will impact the environment. We’re committed to operating in an energy-efficient environment and are actively taking steps towards the management of our greenhouse gas emissions. Our ultimate goal? Creating a sustainable business model we can be proud of.
Reducing waste and emissions are at the core of every operational decision. This informs our partnership choices, defines our procurement policies, and shapes our future planning. We handpick our suppliers to ensure long-term high-quality equipment and clothing. Our waste is tracked, and we aim to reduce and divert the amount of waste created each year. Our modern vehicles are driven in a fuel-efficient manner, and we ensure regular vehicle maintenance to reduce emissions.
To show just how passionate we are about reducing our impact, we’ve committed to releasing an annual report of our greenhouse emissions, underpinned by regular audits that aim to reduce emissions year on year.
The Trips & Tramps “Make a Difference” Fund
Our “Make a Difference” fund will help support all the sustainability and conservation projects we are a part of. Every visitor can contribute financially or with their time, to help make a difference in our precious Fiordland environment. We also donate 50% of the credit card fee from direct bookings straight into this fund.
In 2023, we were very proud to donate $10,000 from this fund to the Fiordland Trails Trust. The Trails Trust develops and maintains the walking trail network in and around Fiordland. They work extensively to restore the natural environment around the trails with predator trapping and native tree planting.
Contact us to book a tour and learn more about protecting our stunning Fiordland region.
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