• Environment - Abel Tasman Kayaks

    Environment & Sustainability

We have a very special place here. The Abel Tasman National Park is a profoundly beautiful coastal paradise that has been enjoyed by many cultures over many centuries.

It is an environment that we share with many life forms on both land and sea. As we protect and enhance the Abel Tasman’s natural balance, we guard its soul. We hope you are inspired to take something special away from us to share in your environment back home. We have absolute reverence for this special place and it is our privilege to now share it with you.

Toitū te Marae a Tāne – Through the sustainability
Toitū te marae a Tongaroa – of the forest and ocean
Toitū te Iwi – humanity will endure

Gaining a Department of Conservation (DOC) concession as well as a DOC Marine Mammal Watching Permit means we can take our guests right into the park to visit the NZ Fur Seal Colony on Tonga Island in the Marine Reserve.

Abel Tasman Soul Ltd is a trusted leader in providing quality kayaking experiences while demonstrating respect for the long-term health of our environment and the community impact. Our management team recognises that the company’s commercial activities can impact the environment and the community. We therefore subscribe to the following environmental protection principles.

Minimizing direct impacts on the environment by monitoring our operations and continuing to be proactively involved in projects to protect and restore the biodiversity of the area.

  • Working with employees, customers, shareholders, suppliers, the local community and any other interested parties to identify their needs and support them in our commitments to the environment.
  • Creating an understanding of, and responsibility to, minimizing our daily impacts on the local environment.
  • Identifying both short and long term effects of operations, and in response, reduce any negative effects to as minimal as possible.

In order to achieve the above objectives, we:

  • Work to gain employees’ commitment to the positive aspects of sustainable tourism and their awareness of the importance and benefits of minimizing negative effects on the environment.
  • Promote our commitment through the use of local and sustainable product supply.
  • Continue to review current business practices, identify areas of improvement and create plans to meet our commitments towards a more sustainable future for tourism in the Abel Tasman.
  • Our full plan can be read here

Marahau Pledge

 

Our Initiatives

  • Objectives 2022 - 2023
    • Retain our Enviro Gold from Qualmark.
    • Achieve EKOS certification.
    • Use our commitment to the Marahau Pledge to guide how we operate
    • Become more vocal advocates for Qualmark Enviro Gold using the  Leave No Trace program as a facilitator to make our environmental message stronger to our clients. Through this program guides will be able to led clients by example and educate them in environmental messages.
    • Continue to leverage our SMART operator status with customer as leaders in sustainable marine mammal viewing through intensive staff training, responsible advertising, and education.
    • Train our new guides in the  Leave No Trace philosophy and use this as the base for educating our clients about the environment.
    • Champion our Soul Food trip as the only eco-friendly low impact tour available in the park.
    • Continue promoting our meat free lunches, to cut down on our carbon footprint, live sustainably and promote healthy diets.
    • Improve on last seasons container café food prep using only fully biodegradable produces sourced from eco-packaging. This will provide more control around waste on all of trips as everything will be catered in-house.
    • We will monitor and measure our energy consumption and look for a reduction in cost and usage through continuous improvement.
    • 90% of eco-friendly light bulbs in situ.
    • Provide a shed and electricity at no cost for the Birdsong Trust trapping program.
    • Weave the Tikai Promise through our business and consider where it would be appropriate to use the logo and messages.
    • Complete the Tourism Industry Aotearoa New Zealand Tourism Sustainability annual audit.
    • Ensure our environmental message stronger to our clients. Through this program guides will be able to led clients by example and educate them in environmental messages.
  • Community Activities
    • Your trip includes an Environmental Access Fee which goes directly towards preserving the Abel Tasman National Park. A portion of your ticket price goes directly towards preserving the unique environment you will enjoy on your trip in the Abel Tasman. This includes the compulsory concession fees paid to the Department of Conversation as well as voluntary contributions to local organisations and projects to improve the environment, ecology and access to the National Park.
    • Mārahau Pledge – Proud founding members and financial supporters of the Mārahau pledge to protect and enhance the environment we work in.
    • Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust – Proud founding members and financial supporters – 10c per person each time you cross the park’s foreshore is given to the trust. The aim of the trust: The forests and beaches of Abel Tasman are once again filled with the birdsong that awakens and delights visitors.
    • Sponsor in kind prizes and trips for local schools, charities, Nelson Tasman Tourism and Tourism New Zealand. Product is provided to the community each year to educate and showcase the Abel Tasman.
    • Sponsoring Mahana School in the Tasman Bay Gaurdians program.
    • Provided two water taxis and staff for the Abel Tasman Coastline cleanup.
    • Abel Tasman Soul operates an intern program for NMIT students who have completed studies.
    • Jack Kelly is on the NMIT Tourism Advisory board, Industry Advisory Board & Tasman Bays Promotion Committee.
  • Employee Commitment

    Employees: training and regular employee communications, ensuring that employees are made aware of, and comply with, environmental laws, by-laws and company environmental policies and procedures, and that each employee actively fulfils their role in environmental responsibility. We work to gain employees’ commitment to the positive aspects of sustainable tourism and their awareness of the importance and benefits of minimizing negative effects on the environment.  We continue to review with staff current business practices, identify areas of improvement and create plans to meet our commitments towards a more sustainable future for tourism in the Abel Tasman.

    Leave No Trace refers to a set of outdoor ethics promoting conservation in the outdoors. It is built on seven principles: Plan ahead and prepare, travel and camp on durable surfaces, dispose of waste properly, leave what you find, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife, and be considerate of other visitors. Abel Tasman Kayaks has invested in guides undertaking a two day training course with all guides. Abel Tasman Kayakscovered the cost for guides. On completion of guide training the whole organisation has become A Leave no Trace organisation. Our intention for this program is to be able to led by example to show our clients respect for the environment and others and in turn that they take what they have learnt and that they take back to their local environment, to incrementally effect positive change on the planet.

    SMART  (Sustainable Marine Mammal Actions in Recreation and Tourism)  As demand for viewing experiences with marine mammals has increased, so too has the pressure on these animals by both tourism and recreational vessels. Numerous studies have documented the effects reckless viewing can have on marine mammals – these include changes in behaviour, boat strike, and reducing the opportunity for feeding, resting, and socialising. Abel Tasman Kayaks has committed to the SMART program and has trained staff in the Departement of Conservation SMART principals to ensure we have minimal disturbance on the marine life in the park.

    We also support NMIT in their training of Adventure Tourism students. We have an intern program for newly qualified guides to gain experience in industry.

  • Minimize impact

    We minimize direct impacts on the environment by monitoring our operations and continuing to be proactively involved in projects to protect and restore the biodiversity of the area. Working with employees, customers, shareholders, suppliers, the local community and any other interested parties to identify their needs and support them in our commitment to the environment. Creating an understanding and responsibility to, minimize our daily impacts on the local environment. Identifying both short and long term effects of operations, and in response, reduce any negative effects to a minimum.

  • Monitoring
    • Working towards gaining EKOS certification to offset 100% of our CO2 emissions, we hope to be certified by Oct 2022.
    • Qualmark Enviro Gold markThis means we have met minimum requirements in this area, and gone a little extra and are actively participating in energy efficiency; conservation initiatives; waste management & community activities.
    • Monthly monitoring: fuel/electricity/land fill and recycling – we are always looking at ways of reducing our uses of resources.
    • Regular maintenance of all vehicles/tractors
  • Water conservation
    • Filling one bath load of water rather than running the hose to rinse kayaking gear.
  • Waste Management
    • Using refillable dispensers where appropriate eg soaps, sunscreen, use local caterers where possible – eg all lunches come from Motueka, coffee from Riwaka
    • Composting all left over food scraps
    • Recycling – plastics, tins, paper, glass

What our customers say

Just wanted to leave a review to say thanks to Abel Tasman Kayaks for an awesome experience. All of the staff were so helpful, friendly and accomodating. I had no previous experience paddling so was honestly a bit nervous but right from the start the guy sorting us out (can’t remember his name but he was the big blonde Viking, you know who you are) was so chilled and informative... read more


Zac E

The four of us had a great time in this beautiful location. Our guide was helpful knowledgeable and fun to be with and we all enjoyed the lunch.At the end we felt like we'd had a bit of a workout but we are not very fit and we set our own pace.We saw playful young seals up close, a wide range of birds and a couple of stingrays. Do it... read more


Sam S

Absolutely brilliant team at Able Tasman kayaks. Alex was our leader and was full of enthusiasm and knowledge - impressive rattling off of species, flora and fauna. Weather was pretty rough but she led us safely in swelling seas. Great lunch. There was a slight mishap with a personal T shirt but the company more than made up for it. Great bunch of people . I heartily recommend them


Philip S

One day walk and 2 days kayaking. Lucky enough to have Dez as a guide - genuinely the best guide I’ve had. Funny, intuitive and so knowledgable. Really cares for his work. Learnt loads. Had a great time doing so and even saw a penguin. The glamping is with an incredible couple who love hosting - definitely buy their pizzas! And the Aquapackers is another amazing couple doing what they... read more


Tomclowes22

If you want an authentic experience, this is definitely the place to go. From the moment we stepped foot into the reception to leaving, every staff member we encountered was welcoming, friendly, and genuinely wanted to help and make our first kayaking experience one to remember. Our guide was Belverre (might be incorrectly spelt sorry). He was knowledgeable, professional and very funny. We had a safety briefing before we went... read more


Pou_Havea

Wel vroeg verzamelen. Maar dat maakt de dag alleen maar mooier. Na een goede uitleg over de veiligheidsregels, kon er niets fout gaan. Het kajakken duurde 3 uur maar was meer dan de moeite waard en ging op een gemakkelijk tempo. Veel dieren gezien waaronder kleine zeehonden en bijzondere vogels. Na aankomst op het strand als eindpunt, kregen we een super lunch aangeboden. Hierna volgde een redelijke wandeling langs de... read more


Hans vd Nieuwendijk

#ABELTASMANKAYAKS

Drifting through granite caves⛰️🚣‍♀️

...
 #nelsontasman #abeltasmankayaks
The wonders of Tonga Island Marine Reserve🐠 established in 1993 go beyond marine life— Tonga Island in the marine reserve makes for that quintessential Abel Tasman pic! 📸
Gearing up for the adventure ahead! 🌟🚣‍♀️
A sea breeze makes for a fun end to the day, kayak sailing ⛵ is a real highlight for customers kayaking back towards Marahau. 

#abeltasmankayaks
Watching the sun come up ☀️
Last day to vote for the bird of the century! This year, #birdoftheyear has become 
#birdofthecentury. We're rooting for the Kaka! 🐦 With 35 released into the Abel Tasman, they add their distinctive call and color to Bark Bay and its surrounds.

#BirdOfTheYear
Memories about to be created in the Abel Tasman. 📸
The Abel Tasman National Park is the smallest national park in New Zealand, it's the perfect location for half-day or five-day explorations!
There are plenty of moments to soak it all in. 

#abeltasmankayaks
top