Who we are

Every story has a beginning.

The team at the Toroa Foundation launched the Otago Biosphere campaign as the flagship project to help create a future where decisions about our environment and economy are driven by those who live and work here. Too often, funding and policies are fragmented, missing the opportunity for real, place-based solutions. By becoming Aotearoa’s first UNESCO Biosphere, we can connect local knowledge, community action, and strategic investment to build a thriving, sustainable region within a global family. This is about empowering people, strengthening environmental and economic resilience, and ensuring Otago’s unique landscapes and communities flourish for generations to come.

The Otago UNESCO Biosphere campaign is anchored in the belief that our backyard is amazing, as are the people who live here.

Once we have designation as a UNESCO Biosphere, the Otago Biosphere Trust will take the reins and the Board of Directors and Advisory Committee will guide the implementation of the Biosphere Reserve.

Do want to join the campaign team to create the next chapter?