THE GEORGE SPONSORS CONSERVATION PROGRAMME

The George has embarked on a new partnership with Christchurch Helicopters to sponsor Flight Path – a fundraising programme, and experience, that supports the critically-endangered orange-fronted kakariki karaka– a small, native parrot that lives ‘locally’ in the foothills and valleys of the Southern Alps and is New Zealand’s rarest forest bird. Travelling in the New Zealand forest is a must-do experience known for its dawn chorus. Our forests are ancient monuments and cathedrals with unique species that are our national treasures (taonga).

The partnership with Christchurch Helicopters and their unique fundraising programme Flight Path, sees a percentage of every flight on the Conservation Experience donated to the recovery program.

Flight Path was the brainchild of Christchurch Helicopter’s owner/pilots, Terry Murdoch and Richie McCaw.  Working with the DOC Recovery Team, they committed to raise funds that will support the team’s work in pest-control innovation, intensified monitoring and research, increased genetics to support optimal pairings and support purpose-built at-place breeding aviaries to reduce the stress on the birds who have to be translocated to breed.

The George draws upon traditional Maori cultural values of manaakitanga (care) for our visitors and kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of the environment and kotahitanga (togetherness) to offer our guests a unique, individual and intensely immersive experience where conservation, philanthropy and sustainability intersect.