In recognition of the Trust's work, the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2000 funding package boosted the Trust's budget by $3.1 million between 2000 and 2005 as part of its private land programme.

Seventy per cent of New Zealand land – about 19 million hectares – is privately owned. Just over 16 million hectares of that area is farmland. QEII provides a mechanism to protect outstanding natural features on private owned land before they are lost forever. The Trust enables the protection of lowland forests, wetlands and coastal ecosystems that are under-represented on public conservation land and now only exist as fragments on private land.

What is an open space covenant?
An open space covenant is a legal agreement between QEII and a landowner to protect a special “open space” feature in perpetuity. The covenant is registered against the title of the property and binds subsequent owners. QEII offers support and management of covenants, with specialist advice and monitoring. Field officers visit a covenant site at least every two years.

Achievements
Since 1977 more than 3,500 farmers and landowners have covenanted over 100,000 hectares of special features on their land. Their covenants protect a variety of open space features, including forest remnants, wetlands, lakes, peat lakes, coastline, tussock grasslands, areas or rural landscape, archaeological and cultural sites and geological formations.

Visit QE II's website to learn more about the Trust and the significant contribution QEII covenantors are making to the conservation of New Zealand’s natural and cultural heritage.