Department of Conservation

Our vision is for New Zealand to be the greatest living space on Earth
Kāore he wāhi i tua atu i a Aotearoa, hei wahi noho i te ao.

Our vision means ensuring that New Zealanders gain a wide range of benefits from healthy functioning ecosystems, recreation opportunities, and through living our history.

• To do this, we organise our work around five outcomes:
• the diversity of our natural heritage is maintained and restored
• our history is protected and brought to life
• more people participate in recreation
• more people engage with conservation and value its benefits
• conservation gains from more business partnerships.

Our partnership with the Backcountry Trust and funding of volunteer work on huts and tracks helps us achieve these outcomes. We particularly value the engagement of outdoor enthusiasts to help maintain access to our remote places for future generations of backcountry explorers.

Sponsors

We are primarily funded by a combination of a DOC grant from the Community Conservation Partnership Fund, donations and some external contract work.

We are also supported by a select band of like-minded corporate sponsors to who either provide funds or product to help with our costs.

Kingspan Thermakraft

Kingspan Thermakraft donate building wrap and roofing underlay for many backcountry hut renovations. In the past few years the BCT has been undertaking an extensive program of re-roofing many older huts that were built over 60 years ago. There are multiple reasons for this work, with one of the main reasons the removal of lead ridging and lead nails from the backcountry to protect kea.

In many cases the building paper under the roof has failed and replacing this with Thermakraft Covertek 407 will ensure these huts are protected for many years into the future.

Swanndri

Creators of the iconic New Zealand bush shirt, Swanndri is a brand that has a natural fit with the good folk doing the work on our backcountry huts and tracks.

Using the ultimate in sustainable fibre from New Zealand farms, Swanndri has kept people warm in the high country mountains and forests since 1913.

Carry bags for in-store purchases at Swanndri stores are now 50¢ each and Swanndri is generously donating all proceeds from these bags directly to the Backcountry Trust.

Bivouac/Outdoor

Every little bit helps. Carry bags for in-store purchases at Bivouac are now 50¢ each and Bivouac is generously donating all proceeds from these bags directly to the Backcountry Trust.

Coast to Coast NZ

The Backcountry Trust appreciates the support of Coast to Coast NZ.

Each year Coast to Coast auction off an entry to the classic event from Kumara across the alps to Christchurch. These funds go back into maintaining huts and tracks in the local Arthur's Pass area with a particular emphasis on the Mingha-Deception Track

Red Hut Wines

The Backcountry Trust’s partnership with Red Hut Wines began in 2026, with an initial three-year agreement supporting the restoration and maintenance of New Zealand’s backcountry huts and the volunteers who help make this work possible.
Founded by experienced wine industry professionals Corey Ryan and Mike Farrugia, Red Hut Wines grew from their shared passion for New Zealand wine and the outdoors. Working with friends and connections across the wine industry, they source fruit from selected regions to produce small-parcel wines that showcase the diversity and quality of New Zealand winemaking.
Both keen outdoor people, Corey and Mike saw a natural connection between Red Hut Wines and the work of the Backcountry Trust. Their partnership includes annual sponsorship towards BCT hut renovation projects, along with a contribution from sales of Red Hut Wines to help support the costs of our volunteer programme.
It’s a partnership that turns a shared love of New Zealand’s outdoors into practical support for the backcountry hut network and the communities working to look after it.

We need all the support we can get

Like most charitable organisations, more funds lets us do more good. Send us an email or call to talk about corporate sponsorship opportunities. We are seeking sponsorship from organisations who have an interest in supporting the infrastructure that enables New Zealanders to enjoy the outdoors, as well as organisations directly related to the building materials and services industry that our volunteers use on a regular basis. 

The survival of our backcountry network depends on widespread support from the outdoors community. We receive many unsolicited individual donations throughout the year and the regular small monthly donations help keep us going. Any donation, no matter how small or big, helps us to look after more of Aotearoa's backcountry huts and tracks. Thanks in anticipation for your support.

DONATE TO THE TRUST

or make a donation to our bank account.
The Backcountry Trust is a Registered Charitable Trust with the Charities Commission of NZ  (Number CC 54962) and has Donee Status with IRD​.