Manaakitanga — caring for our people and place
We aim to deliver Manaakitanga and uphold the reputation of New Zealand as a quality destination, offering friendly, hospitable service to every visitor and traveller.
Of all the principles of Māoritanga, Manaakitanga is the one Back to Nature Tours loves most — caring for our staff and guests, inspiring them and always making them feel welcome is one of our dearest values. We are keenly aware that the beautiful, fragile ecosystem that sustains a business like ours must be protected, and we are committed to providing a high-quality, sustainable wildlife tour that educates and inspires.
We have always embraced Kaitiakitanga — guardianship and protection — of our local area, Ōtepoti (Dunedin). It is at the heart of everything we do: conservation matters.
We have been involved in several initiatives at the Sinclair Wetlands (Te Nohoaka o Tukiauau), including building their native plant nursery and committing to plant 300–400 native trees every year in the new ‘Back to Nature Garden’ in the reserve. We also maintain a trap line in the Sandymount Reserve to protect breeding sooty shearwaters (tītī) that nest in burrows along the cliffs, re-baiting every two weeks through the season.
We keep wildlife disturbance to a minimum by educating clients on the needs of local wildlife, and we work with government agencies and other eco-tourism operators to protect our environment. We hold and update all necessary licences, permits and consents to practise eco-tourism, and we maintain an environmental plan to ensure the smallest possible negative effect — and the largest possible positive one.
We limit our use of paper, plastic and electronic equipment and recycle whatever we can’t reuse; each year a staff member serves as our ‘waste champion’, improving on the previous year’s policy. To lower emissions we use only diesel vans, try to fill a van rather than run two, switch off rather than idle, regularly tune our vehicles, and are fitting GPS technology to maximise fuel and driver efficiency.
We use only non-toxic cleaning products and wash our vehicles on grass to avoid polluting drains. We have monitored our water use since 2010 and, using a water meter, stay within recommended amounts, checking for leaks, reducing operating pressure and using positive shut-off valves.
We follow all laws and processes to help preserve and celebrate our history and culture, consulting local authorities before any building or earthmoving work and consulting local iwi on Māori history and how to enjoy places of cultural significance respectfully. We love Dunedin and proudly promote its culture and businesses, encouraging clients to shop locally and enjoy local food, beer and wine across Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula. We drive courteously and pull over periodically to minimise disruption to locals. Above all, we show respect for our community — human, animal and land. We regularly review our impact and update our policies accordingly; if you have any feedback, we’d love to hear it.
Explore Otago with an operator that puts conservation and community first.