Mārahau is nestled on the western coastline of Te Tai-o-Aorere Tasman Bay in Te Tauihu, the top of the South Island. It is 60km from Whakatū Nelson and 20km from Motueka and is the main gateway to the Abel Tasman National Park, Aotearoa New Zealand’s most visited national park.

A culturally significant place for mana whenua and home to a resident population of about 200, it is here where many of the park’s 250,000 annual manuhiri (visitors) start their journey along the world-famous track or refuel after completing it.

The literal translation for Mārahau is ‘windy garden’: māra = garden, hau = wind.

There are eight tangata whenua iwi in the wider Te Tauihu region stretching from Mohua Golden Bay to Waikawa Picton and east to Wairau Blenheim. They are Ngāti Apa ki te Ra Tō, Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu, Ngāti Roa Rangatira, Rangitāne o Wairau and Te Ātiawa o te Waka-a-Māui. 

Ngāti Rārua and Te Ātiawa o te Waka-a-Māui and their associated hapū and whānau hold manawhenua status in Mārahau and Motueka.

Wakatū Incorporation has significant landholdings in Mārahau on behalf of the descendants of the area's traditional customary owners, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Rārua and Te Ātiawa o te Waka-a-Māui. The whānau of Wakatū play a significant role in Mārahau as they occupy the foreshore landholdings where they generously allow public access. They employ a Kaitiaki to protect the area and manaaki whānau who come to stay in Mārahau to connect with their ancestral whenua (land).

The Mārahau Pledge is a practical commitment by all local activities businesses operating in the visitor sector in Mārahau to protect and enhance the environment they love and work in and contribute to the well-being of the Mārahau community. 

It was signed in October 2022 and has three core commitments: 

CARBON ZERO: All operators in Mārahau commit to being independently certified zero carbon.

CO-OPERATE: All operators in Mārahau commit to working together to knowledge-share, collectively advance sustainability and go further.

GIVE BACK: Every ticketed experience includes a financial contribution to improving biodiversity, conservation and community outcomes in Mārahau and the surrounding area.

Each operator is independently certified as zero-carbon, and as a grouping, we have committed to working together to explore more sustainable solutions. No resting on our laurels here! On top of that, a contribution from each ticketed experience sold by Pledge signatories is used to fund locally-led projects that improve biodiversity, sustainability or community outcomes in Mārahau. That way, power is placed in the hands of our local community.

There are ten signatories to the Mārahau Pledge, nine local tourism operators and one accommodation provider, who together represent almost the entire visitor industry of Mārahau. All of the businesses are locally owned and operated by local families, and all have a passion for this special part of the world. Collectively, they employ well over a hundred locals in the visitor sector. Read more about the signatories here.

While we’re competitors in business, we firmly believe there’s no space for competition when it comes to sustainability efforts and giving back to the community - we acknowledge we need to work together to protect this unique place we all love. We’d been discussing for a while what a locally designed regenerative tourism model could look like, and the Pledge was our solution. Together, we negotiated a new Mārahau Pledge fee as part of the regular concession fees and other compulsory levies we pay for the right to operate in the park. This was formally introduced in late 2022.

The nine tourism operators apply a Mārahau Pledge levy of $1.44 per visitor per crossing of the Mārahau foreshore, while the accommodation provider levies $1.44 per guest night. A portion of the levy goes towards measuring and off-setting to meet our commitment to being zero-carbon. The balance is held by the Mārahau Pledge governance organisation, the Mārahau Environmental Trust.

We support local people who are doing great local projects. We provide funding for initiatives that will benefit the environment, biodiversity or the community in Mārahau and its surrounds. It’s that simple. Grants depend on the availability of funds but can range from $500 to $50,000. While not a dealbreaker, co-funded projects are a winner for us. You can read more and apply here. 

We know that being certified carbon-zero is an imperfect solution and is not going to fix the world’s problems. But it’s a great place to start. It means that while we continue to explore alternatives to fossil fuels, we can ensure we’re removing as many emissions from the environment as we’re producing (if not more). It’s also a good motivator to think hard about where sustainability improvements can be made to our operations day to day. After all, operators offsetting their carbon footprint is better than doing nothing, right?

No. We get the scepticism, but we’re not big, flashy companies with big PR budgets. We are a group of local businesses taking genuine steps to counteract the impact our operations have on the environment. In fact, we think the Mārahau Pledge offers a transformative blueprint for tourism in Aotearoa. The Pledge is unique in that it is a 100% locally-led regenerative tourism model that actively benefits the local community while also reducing the impacts of tourism on the environment that sustains it.

We want to be good ancestors and ensure Mārahau and the Abel Tasman National Park are in an even better state for future generations. We have supported local groups doing inspiring work locally, like the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust, for many years now, and the Pledge simply takes that commitment to our people and our place a few steps further. 

Check out some of the causes we’ve been able to support so far.

We hear this from time to time, and we understand why, but we believe being zero carbon does carry meaning – especially when all operators are on board. There are now more zero-carbon certified tourism operators in the top of the South Island than in any other region or tourism hotspot of New Zealand. When you have that critical mass, yes, that does make a difference. 

If you have the opportunity to help mitigate your impact on the planet, why wouldn’t you? Being certified means you don’t have to take our word for it - we’re certified by independent experts, Ekos.

Ekos is a Te Tauihu-based not-for-profit organisation that helps businesses measure, reduce and offset their carbon.

• Anything you bring in with you, take out – this includes plastic, glass, and food waste.

• Respect the Taiao – the only thing you should be taking from the Park is photographs.

• Our native birds are not adapted to human food, so please don’t feed them, no matter how cute they are!

• You can also take the Tiaki Promise.

• Care for land, sea and nature, treading lightly and leaving no trace.

• Travel safely, showing care and consideration for all.

• Respect culture, and travel with an open heart and mind.

• Of course, you can utilise the services of any one of our tourism operators and know that you’re contributing to the environment and this beautiful place, thanks to the Mārahau Pledge.

While the businesses co-operate on sustainability, all signatories still compete as individual businesses with different offerings and prices.

The Environmental Access Fee (EAF) is a portion of the ticket price that goes directly towards preserving the unique environment in Mārahau and the Abel Tasman National Park. You’ll see it as a separate line on your ticket. Students on school trips and conservation volunteers are not charged the EAF.

The EAF includes the compulsory concession fees paid to the Department of Conservation as well as voluntary contributions to local organisations and projects to improve the environment, ecology and access to the national park.

The EAF is made up of three parts:

• The concession fee tourism operators pay the Department of Conservation to access the Abel Tasman National Park. DOC invests this money directly back into the Park.

• The ‘Birdsong Levy’ that tourism operators voluntarily contribute to the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust

• The Mārahau Pledge fee which goes directly to projects that will benefit the environment and community of Mārahau.

So far, we have made meaningful co-investments in several local projects, including the Mārahau Halo Trapping Project, the Mārahau-Sandy Bay Residents Association public artwork, the Otūwhero Wetland Restoration Project and the Wakatū Incorporation māra kai and nursery.

We have also made funding available to the Mārahau-Sandy Bay Residents Association for placemaking improvements such as weeding, track improvements, and public amenities. We also provided support for work on the Tinline Track by the Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust. You can stay up to date with funded projects here.

Easy! Just tell us your plan (what you need funding for) using this application form. It is important to note that we do not manage projects or implement proposals; rather, we provide funding support for local community and environmental projects.

We'd love to hear from you. Click here to contact us.