Jetstar helps to improve the view on Bay of Plenty coastline

Jetstar helps to improve the view on the Bay of Plenty coastline

• Jetstar partners with Bay of Plenty iwi Ngati Awa on environmental project
• Three-year agreement to purchase all carbon offsets generated by Ngati Awa Heritage Estate
• Carbon credits used for Jetstar’s domestic New Zealand flights

Jetstar today launched a new environmental initiative to use carbon offsets from the Ngati Awa Heritage Estate in the Bay of Plenty for its domestic operations in New Zealand.

Under an initial three-year agreement Jetstar will be the sole purchaser of all carbon offsets from the Ngati Awa Heritage Estate, located on over 800 hectares of coastal land near Ohope.

The partnership with Ngati Awa is not related to any obligation Jetstar has under carbon pricing policy, in any of the countries in which it operates. Offsetting is a purely voluntary action to contribute to a low carbon future, with a cleaner atmosphere, better world and view for everyone.

Grant Kerr, Jetstar Head of New Zealand, said purchasing the carbon offsets would contribute to the airline’s commitment to reducing its environmental impact.

“Jetstar strives to be one of the most environmentally responsible airlines in the world so we’re truly delighted to announce this partnership with Ngati Awa.

“The Heritage Estate offers a unique blend of environmental, economic, social, biodiversity and cultural benefits to New Zealand.”

Enid Ratahi-Pryor, CEO of Te Runanga o Ngati Awa, said the relationship with Jetstar would enable the iwi to share its view of the world with others.

“Our view of the world is one that is filled with environmental consciousness, cultural integrity and the conservation and preservation of our lands for future generations.”

Jetstar is committed to minimising its impact on the environment and in addition to the Ngati Awa Heritage Estate project the airline undertakes a range of initiatives to address this issue.

Each year, Jetstar offsets all emissions associated with its business travel and vehicles operating on the ground.

The airline also has a fuel efficiency programme in place, targets to reduce electricity, waste and water consumption, and offers customers the ability to offset the emissions associated with their flight each time they book through its Fly Carbon Neutral Programme.

About Jetstar Group
The Jetstar Group is one of Asia Pacific’s fastest growing airline brands with one of the most extensive range of destinations in the region. It is made up of Jetstar Airways (subsidiary of the Qantas Group) in Australia and New Zealand, Jetstar Asia in Singapore, Jetstar Pacific in Vietnam, Jetstar Japan in Japan and Jetstar Hong Kong, subject to regulatory approval. Jetstar branded carriers operate up to 4,000 flights a week to more than 60 destinations across Asia Pacific. The Jetstar Group carried more than 25 million passengers in financial year 2014.

Background: Ngati Awa Heritage Estate, Ohope, Bay of Plenty

The Project
The Ngati Awa Heritage Estate is located on over 800 hectares of iconic coastal land in Ohope in the Eastern Bay Plenty. This beautiful piece of land is home to many culturally significant archaeological sites dating back over 1000 years. The land is adjacent to one of New Zealand’s most successful non-captive kiwi breeding programmes (the Whakatane Kiwi Project, regarded as the “Kiwi Capital of the World”) and the Ohope Beach Primary School.

Prior to the project, this slice of New Zealand heritage was heavily degraded due to land clearing and over-grazing. This had resulted in land slippages, erosion, diminished water quality, and put the Ohope Beach Primary School and community at risk of flooding.

With the support of Jetstar, Ngati Awa (one of the many translations being ‘people of the stars’), the students from Ohope Beach Primary School and the local community are successfully replanting the land with thousands of native species and exotics to protect sacred archaeological sites and prevent further land degradation.

Specific sections of the property have been planted with species attractive to native birds to establish an important habitat for the birds while also encouraging seed dispersal.

To keep stock out of waterways, 3km of new fencing has been installed and much needed planting has also been established at the head of the gully to mitigate the risk of future flooding of the Ohope Beach community, including the Primary School.

A secondary project with the local council and the Department of Conservation has successfully resulted in the planting of re-vegetation to act as a shelter and food source for the adjacent Kiwi conservation area.

Project Benefits
As the trees grow, they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store the carbon in their trunks, branches and roots. The plantings will provide Ngati Awa with a new income stream from carbon offset revenue and in time become a source of culturally significant trees. The trees will also create important habitat and food sources for native wildlife.

The project will protect the spiritually significant archaeological sites and develop a track network connecting the sites allowing access to the community and in future an opportunity for a land based tourism operation by Ngati Awa.

Areas of the site have been planted with the native species kahikatea and totara. In time, a selection of these trees will be available for harvest by Ngati Awa to be used for medicinal purposes and for the utilisation in future cultural carving projects. This will contribute to a sustainable environment which will improve the health status of the Ngati Awa people. According to Ngati Awa, “if the land is well, the people are well”.

Crops have also been planted on the land, offering commercial opportunities for Ngati Awa in addition to current revenue streams from dry stock farming, timber, and honey production.

For further information on the Ngati Awa Heritage Estate please visit www.jetstar.com/nz/en/what-we-offer/carbon-offset

ENDS

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