Who We AreKo wai mātou
Connecting People, Land, and Biodiversity for a Thriving Aotearoa
Who we are
At The Forest Bridge Trust, we’re working to create a future where thriving native biodiversity, healthy ecosystems, and strong community connections define the landscape of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Rodney and Kaipara areas. As a charitable trust, our mission is to protect and restore indigenous habitats — connecting forest, wetland, and coastal ecosystems at a landscape scale informed by science — while honouring the knowledge and leadership of tāngata whenua through Mātauranga Māori-guided conservation.
We are proud to be a trusted partner to landowners, iwi and hapū, farmers, communities, and environmental organisations, enabling real impact through practical support and collaboration. Our values-based approach is grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and driven by a belief that everyone has a role to play in caring for te taiao (the natural world). Whether it's empowering landowners, equipping future kaitiaki, or building resilience through sustainable partnerships and funding, we are committed to long-term, meaningful environmental outcomes.
With increasing awareness of biodiversity’s importance, we’re seeing growing participation in conservation efforts—and we’re here to guide, resource, and connect those who are ready to take action.
Our People
The Forest Bridge Trust is guided by a voluntary Board of Trustees who bring a wealth of expertise and deep local knowledge to our organisation. They are supported by a dedicated and diverse staff, all working together to achieve our shared goals and vision. This team is led by two General Managers, one of conservation and one of operations.
Our team work across key conservation areas, including ecology, pest control, community engagement, fencing and riparian planting, environmental training and education . They are backed by essential support in administration, coordination, GIS and data analysis, IT, and communications.
Learn more about the people behind our work on the Meet Our Team page.
A Short History of the Forest Bridge Trust
The Forest Bridge Trust was founded to protect and restore native biodiversity across the landscape of Rodney and Kaipara in Aotearoa New Zealand. The journey began in 2013, when Kevin and Gill Adshead reintroduced kiwi to their family farm in Glorit. This milestone quickly highlighted a critical need: for kiwi to thrive, they would require at least 10,000 hectares of continuous, pest-controlled habitat.
Determined to make this a reality, Kevin and Gill envisioned a thriving wildlife corridor stretching from the Kaipara on the west coast to Tāwharanui Regional Park on the east—an ambitious goal rooted in landscape-scale restoration and kiwi conservation.
They began working with farmers, landowners, iwi, and local communities to reduce pest animal populations, restore native forests, and build strategic fencing. This collaborative, community-led approach to conservation laid the foundation for The Forest Bridge Trust.
In 2014, the Trust was officially formed, with a mission co-created by people passionate about protecting New Zealand’s unique ecosystems. What began as a small group of visionary landowners has since evolved into a respected, well-resourced conservation organisation. Today, The Forest Bridge Trust delivers large-scale environmental outcomes—connecting habitats, supporting native wildlife, and empowering communities to be kaitiaki (guardians) of the land.