In 2025, the partnership delivered 12 multi-year nature regeneration projects across Aotearoa, directly engaging more than 4,892 people and planting 6,813 native plants while enhancing five wetlands.
These projects brought together tamariki, rangatahi, community volunteers, and Bupa residents and staff, creating meaningful intergenerational connections while restoring local environments.
The programme delivered strong wellbeing outcomes, with 95 percent of participants reporting improved physical and mental health, and 84 percent reporting increased knowledge and confidence in nature regeneration.
Bupa New Zealand Managing Director, Pedro Sanchez says, “At the heart of Junior Landcare is a simple but powerful idea - when generations come together to care for the environment, both people and nature thrive.
“From planting days where school children worked side by side with retirement village residents, to cultural learning experiences grounded in mātauranga Māori, the Junior Landcare programme has created lasting connections and strengthened communities,” he says.
Looking ahead to 2026, Bupa and Junior Landcare are expanding their impact with a new set of legacy projects across New Zealand, including:
- Tikipunga Wetland Project and Mangawhai Rangatahi Programme
- Papakura Stream Restoration Project
- Bay of Plenty. He Whāriki mō Paekoau
- Project in development
- Hawke’s Bay. Napier Community Planting
- Manawatū. Mangaone West Catchment Group Wetland Project
- Wairau Nature Network
- Motueka Catchment Collective
- Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor
- Ōwhiro Stream Wetland Enhancement
Sanchez says, “These projects will continue to restore wetlands, streams and ecosystems while strengthening community ownership and connection to place.
“This is about more than environmental restoration. It is about connection between generations, between people and place, and between communities and their future. We are incredibly proud of the impact we have achieved together, and excited about what comes next,” he says.
Dr Nick Edgar, CEO of NZ Landcare Trust, says the partnership is demonstrating the long-term value of community-led, intergenerational action.
“What we are seeing through this partnership is the power of collective action, with tamariki, rangatahi and kaumātua coming together to share knowledge and restore the environment in ways that create lasting impact. As we look ahead to 2026, these legacy projects will deepen that impact, supporting communities across Aotearoa to lead restoration efforts that are locally driven, intergenerational, and built to endure.
“These projects are about more than planting trees or restoring wetlands, they are about growing future guardians of our environment and empowering communities to lead their own restoration journeys.”
As the 2026 programme begins, Bupa and Junior Landcare remain focused on building healthier, more resilient communities and leaving a legacy for future generations.
