MyNativeForest

Rewilding the world

Christchurch-based environmental initiative MyNativeForest makes climate action for businesses simple: fund native forests and earn quality carbon credits.

The loss of approximately 17 New Zealand-sized forests’ worth of tree cover since 2001 is a devastating reality for our planet, especially when carbon emissions are at an all-time high. However, Christchurch-based entrepreneurs Tim Jackson, Matt Cotterrell and Mitchell McLaughlin saw this environmental challenge as an opportunity to make a positive impact.

We are here to rewild New Zealand

“We are here to rewild New Zealand with beautiful native forest and make sure those responsible for it are rewarded,” said Mitchell McLaughlin.

MyNativeForest incentivises the planting of native forests in New Zealand through access for businesses to a native forest investment platform.

They recognised the need for a nature-based solution and set out to make reforestation a profitable investment, revolutionising the commercialisation of native trees.

MyNativeForest has planted 3.5 hectares of trees in Banks Peninsula's Purau Bay, and manages over 2,000 hectares nationwide. When fully planted, this site has the potential to sequester around 10,000 tonnes of CO2, host thousands of species of bird and wildlife and help protect our ocean from degradation through erosion protection.

Planting trees offsets carbon emissions and earns carbon credits, representing one metric ton of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere and can be traded on the open market. In February last year, they released a trading platform for these native carbon credits.

Continual growth

Their investor pool is continuing to grow, including Simply Energy, Sudima Hotels and Haka Tours, an intrepid company who are already using MyNativeForest’s solution to leverage the power of nature to combat climate change.

Why Christchurch?

With innovation, enterprise and talent running through Christchurch's veins, choosing the city they were born and raised in was a no-brainer for Mitchell, Matt and Tim.

“We found [our team] locally… All our engineering talent, our products, our marketing talent, advisors. There are a lot of clever people in this city,” said Jackson.

Mitchell McLaughlin believes the work-life balance is another great aspect of living and working in Christchurch. People here “like to work hard, but they're set to play hard. With the great outdoors right at the doorstep —turn away, turn the key in the weekend, and off they go,” he explained.

Tim and Mitchell said they received significant support from networks within Christchurch, including ChristchurchNZ and CanterburyTech, to help jumpstart their regeneration project.

So, what next for these Christchurch trailblazers?

This year, MyNativeForest aims to plant 30 hectares of trees and grow its local customer base even more, with future aspirations of attracting global and international investors.

MyNativeForest is currently working with new potential investors to explore how this regenerative solution can be integrated into their unique business models.

As Tim aptly put it, to help solve the climate crisis, “nature is the biggest carbon sequestration vehicle we have got.”