Owenga Station is the largest private conservation reserve on the Chatham Islands. Almost 1,400 hectares of land have been covenanted for conservation and carbon sequestration under the PFSI.

The owners are descended from Moriori, the original inhabitants of the Island dating back to 1500 AD. The project is critical to the protection and restoration of the indigenous flora and fauna of the Chatham Islands. On top of acting as a permanent carbon sink, the forest promotes the recovery of the Chatham’s unique indigenous biodiversity including rare bird species and plant species, found no where else on earth.

Income from the sale of carbon credits allows the owners to commit increasing resources and land to conservation management, including fencing, pest control, and fire prevention measures such as fire breaks. It also key to enable the landowners to diversify income away from livestock farming.