Project Crimson Trust

About us

We work with organisations, schools, iwi, communities and individuals throughout New Zealand through our restoration and environmental education programmes, and we advocate for our hero species pōhutukawa and rātā.

It seems hard to believe now, but in 1990 the future of pōhutukawa was uncertain. Project Crimson was established to protect and restore these beloved trees to New Zealand’s forests and coastlines.

Led by a bunch of enthusiastic and committed volunteers, Project Crimson initially set out to replant areas of the Northland coastline with pōhutukawa. Such was the success of that initial work, our mandate broadened to a national focus, to include rātā, and now to champion the planting of all native tree species.

Project Crimson has played a major role in turning around the health of the metrosideros species, but our beloved pōhutukawa and northern and southern rātā remain under threat today from myrtle rust and the ongoing impact from possums. Work also remains to be done to restore the Bartlett’s rātā species, with very few adult trees known to be in survival.

Through our programme Trees That Count, we’ve committed to helping Kiwis plant millions more native trees, of all species, as a way to fight climate change, strengthen ecosystems and grow healthier communities everywhere.