The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary Trust (BWST) has entered into an agreement with Nelson City Council to manage the Brook Valley Holiday Park. Starting June 1, BWST will oversee the campground for a five-year period, during which it will receive an annual management fee of NZ$400,000 for the first two years to aid the transition.
Ru Collin, chief executive of Brook Sanctuary, highlighted that taking over the campground aligns with the Sanctuary’s goals of preserving natural habitats and enhancing the visitor experience.
Managing the Brook Valley Holiday Park is a great opportunity, and we consider it a pivotal step towards creating a model for sustainable recreation and conservation in the Nelson area. We are committed to ensuring the site remains a treasure for the community while contributing to the broader ecological health of the region, and we hope to see the campground features complement the activities of the Sanctuary,” Collin added, as quoted in a report by Our Nelson.
Nelson Mayor Nick Smith said the new management structure will benefit the sanctuary, council, and the city. He emphasized that the Trust’s campground management will relieve the city council of a non-core activity that currently costs ratepayers over NZ$$500,000 annually. Smith anticipates substantial savings and enhanced public access to conservation education and wildlife experiences.
Chris Hawkes, chair of the Sanctuary Trust, spoke about future plans to integrate the campground more closely with the Sanctuary’s broader conservation missions. This plan includes developing educational programs and recreational activities that align with the sanctuary’s goals.
“The campground offers a great conduit to working closer to the Sanctuary’s key stakeholders like the Nelson City Council. It will also generate another activity for the Sanctuary to engage with more of the community,” Hawkes added,
Andrew White, the council’s group manager of community services, addressed the accommodations for long-term campground occupants. “Long-term occupants will be able to stay in the campground, and the Trust will be working closely with campground users and long-term occupants when it takes over the lease,” Andrew said.
Private campground owners and operators can glean several insights from the business strategies employed by the BWST.
The Trust’s approach, which aligns campground management with broader conservation goals, provides a valuable model for integrating business operations with environmental stewardship. By focusing on sustainable practices and enhancing the visitor experience, the Trust demonstrates how campgrounds can serve as platforms for both recreation and education. This dual focus not only attracts visitors who are interested in eco-tourism but also establishes the campground as a community asset that contributes to regional ecological health.