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Supporting Community & Conservation

Sustainability Statement
At Lodge Lorien, we are deeply committed to preserving the natural beauty and cultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. Nestled in the heart of Glenorchy, we honour our environment by operating with care, respect, and responsibility—minimising our footprint through sustainable practices and thoughtful design. We actively support local artisans, source produce and products from the region, and uphold values that reflect the spirit of manaakitanga (hospitality) and kaitiakitanga (guardianship of the land). Our goal is to ensure that every guest experience enriches, rather than diminishes, the land and stories that make this place so special.

Proud Supporters of Impact 100 Wakatipu
At Lodge Lorien, we believe that meaningful change starts at the local level. That’s why we’re proud sponsors of Impact 100 Wakatipu a chapter of Impact 100 New Zealand, a charitable organisation uniting women across the country to make a collective, transformational impact in their communities. Through our involvement, we support their mission of empowering grassroots charities with substantial funding, enabling them to deliver lasting, positive change. Giving back is part of who we are—and partnering with Impact 100 allows us to be part of something truly meaningful.

As of 2024, Impact100 Wakatipu has granted a total of $897,500 to the Queenstown region over five years. This includes eight major grants of at least $100,000 each and an additional $65,000 distributed among 13 other local organisations. 

Notable recipients include KiwiHarvest Queenstown, which used a $100,000 grant to purchase a new refrigerated truck for food rescue operations, and the Lakes District Museum, which received $100,000 to digitise and preserve its collections. 

In 2024, two $100,500 grants were awarded to Southern Lakes Sanctuary, supporting the takahe release programme in the Rees Valley, and the Whakatipu Rowing Club, contributing to the development of a new community facility on Lake Hayes. 

These grants reflect Impact100 Wakatipu’s commitment to empowering local charities and fostering lasting change in the Queenstown region.

Protecting Our Wild Neighbours: Supporting the Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust

At Lodge Lorien, we are proud to support the Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust—a local organisation dedicated to the protection and restoration of native birdlife and biodiversity in the Glenorchy region. Nestled at the gateway to this remarkable landscape, we feel a deep responsibility to help preserve its ecological integrity for future generations. Through our sponsorship, we contribute to vital conservation efforts such as predator control, habitat restoration, and the safeguarding of endangered species like the mōhua and whio. We are honoured to stand alongside the Trust in their mission to protect this treasured part of Aotearoa.

The Glenorchy region of New Zealand is a sanctuary for numerous endangered and at-risk native species, many of which are under active protection by the Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust (RDWT) and its conservation partners. This area encompasses diverse habitats—from alpine zones to braided river valleys—supporting a rich array of unique wildlife.

Endangered and At-Risk Species in the Glenorchy RegionAccording to the Tāhuna Glenorchy Dark Sky Sanctuary, there are currently 35 at-risk species within the sanctuary area and surrounding environs, which aligns with the biodiversity efforts of the Department of Conservation, the Southern Lakes Sanctuary, and the Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust.

Key species include:

  • Mōhua (Yellowhead) – This vibrant songbird now occupies less than 3% of its former range. Remarkably, the Routeburn and Dart forests are home to a quarter of the world’s remaining population. 
  • Whio (Blue Duck) – A nationally vulnerable species that nests along fast-flowing rivers.
  • Kea – The world’s only alpine parrot, listed as nationally endangered, with an estimated population of 3,000–5,000 birds. 
  • Rock Wren (Pīwauwau) – A tiny alpine bird threatened by stoats, now protected through targeted trapping in high-altitude areas. 
  • Kākā and Kākāriki – Forest parrots vulnerable to predation.
  • Rifleman (Tītipounamu) and South Island Robin (Toutouwai) – Small native birds that benefit from ongoing predator control. 
  • Long-tailed Bat (Pekapeka) – New Zealand’s only native land mammal, also at risk. 

In addition to these forest and alpine species, the braided river systems of the Dart and Rees Rivers support endangered birds such as the wrybill, black-billed gull, banded dotterel, and black-fronted tern. To protect these species, RDWT installed over 600 predator traps along these rivers annually. 

The primary threats to these species are introduced predators like stoats, rats, possums, and feral cats. The RDWT combats these threats through extensive trap networks, habitat monitoring, and community engagement, aiming to restore native bird populations and preserve the ecological integrity of the Glenorchy region.