The Tongariro national Park will now receive support from Land Rover.

Every new Land Rover that is sold will help protect a hectare of the Tongariro National Park through the “Project Tangariro.” This park is the only dual World Heritage site of New Zealand.

The Tongariro Natural History Society (TNHS) will get a financial contribution of the estimated cost for protecting a hectare of the Tongariro National Park from Motorcorp Distributors Ltd. This company is the importer of Land Rover in New Zealand. They will be contributing financially everytome a new Land Rover is sold through an authorized Land Rover center.

The TNHS is a non-profit organisation, established in 1984 to support conservation initiatives within the Tongariro National Park.

Purchasers of new Land Rovers will also be given the opportunity to contribute additional funds to the park.

The TNHS works in partnership with the Department of Conservation on community focused projects to further preserve Tongariro National Park, New Zealand’s oldest national park.

The TNHS carries out planting, restoration, protection and education projects within the park and the Land Rover financial contributions will assist in this work.

The park of more than 80,000 hectares located in the heart of the North Island of New Zealand is based around Mt Ruapehu, Mt Ngauruhoe and Mt Tongariro which were first gifted to the country by local Maori in 1887.

An all-new Land Rover Freelander 2 TD4 HSE has been presented to TNHS in Tongariro National Park during the Department of Conservations ‘Conservation Week’ as part of the support package.

‘Another World. Just down the road’ Conservation Week celebrations this year are focusing on outdoor recreation and the range of things New Zealanders can do to get out and enjoy their beautiful country.

Globally, Land Rover is committed to addressing the challenges of sustainable development. Through ‘Project Tongariro’, Land Rover aims to minimise its environmental footprint in New Zealand and make a positive contribution.

Wallis Dumper, Managing Director for Land Rover in New Zealand said, “Kiwis are well aware of Land Rovers ‘Go Beyond’ capabilities and as a New Zealand owned company we have been striving to support the worldwide Land Rover initiatives that see things like the Dagenham Diesel Centre in England being wind turbine powered. We also want Land Rover owners in New Zealand to support New Zealand’s own back yard and what better way than to support our own dual World Heritage Site!”

Land Rover has a long relationship with Tongariro having supplied vehicles from 1963 to enable the Rangers to access parts of the park in arduous 4WD conditions.

Land Rover has been producing 4WD vehicles since 1948 and is synonymous with motoring in extreme conditions. The vehicles are used world wide for exploration, by aid agencies in the third world and for search and rescue operations because of their go anywhere ability. Two thirds of all Land Rovers ever produced are still in use today, thanks to their rugged construction.

Source: Land Rover Press Release