World first for Murchison fishing lodge certified Carbon Positive

A Murchison fishing lodge which might have the country’s clearest waters, definitely has New Zealand’s cleanest carbon footprint.

The Owen River Lodge is the first in the world to be certified a net “Carbon Sink”, which is sure to be a hook for climate-conscious anglers.

An audit by Ekos found the lodge to be offsetting 120 per cent of its carbon footprint in the 2021 financial year.

While other lodges have tried to self audit to meet similar GHG evaluations, Owen River is the first in the world to gain “Climate Positive” accreditation.

This involved regeneration of 76.4 hectares of indigenous forest in Kānuka Hill. Their carbon credit scheme in the neighbouring The Uruwhenua Native Regeneration Project was an impotant choice for the lodge.

Since registering the forest carbon sink in 2012, the reserve absorbes 896 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually in native bush growth.

“We wanted to use locally-sourced certified carbon credits involving native plant restoration,” said owner Felix Borenstein.

Beyond the goal of neutralising their carbon output, Borenstein was eager to keep the planting and ecological benefits in the region. Increased bush growth, benefits fly life, which – hopefully – benefits the fish at the end of the fishing line.

“Native plantings bring more environmental benefits than other options for carbon credits, and that was important to us,” says Borenstein.

With a strict catch and release policy on fish, the Owen River Lodge is all about a natural experience that will still be around to enjoy tomorrow.

Supporting local carbon sink projects is just the first step in an ambitious environmental plan.

“Solar panels on the main Lodge roof are next,” he says. “Then an electric 4 wheel drive.”

Having recently been named a winner in the 2021 Qualmark’s 100% Pure awards, the lodge is due to host TNZ ambassador Richie McCaw on a tour of the Owen River.

While the EV may not be in place by then, there’s plenty of opportunity for him to get involved in replanting the kilometre-long lodge waterfront.