Two Environmental Powerhouses Unite: Beautification Trust To Welcome Tread Lightly Charitable Trust From July 2025

The Beautification Trust and the Tread Lightly Charitable Trust (TLCT) are joining forces, bringing together decades of experience and shared passion for environmental education.

From July 2025, the well-regarded Tread Lightly programme will be formally integrated into the work of the Beautification Trust, while TLCT will no longer continue as a legal entity. The move will strengthen environmental learning and behaviour change initiatives across Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) and ensure the programme’s financial sustainability and long-term delivery.

This exciting consolidation sees two like-minded charities combine their 42 years of experience, building on their longstanding partnership and shared kaupapa (purpose). Both organisations are dedicated to empowering communities to take action to protect and nurture te taiao (the environment) and to live more sustainably.

Founded in 2001, the Beautification Trust connects and empowers communities to learn, love and look after our environment. With more than 20 active programmes, including Eye on Nature, the Boomer Shed and the Manurewa Community Recycling Centre, the Trust works across environmental education, zero waste, and beautification.

The Tread Lightly Charitable Trust, established in 2007, has visited more than 300 schools and inspired close to 100,000 tamariki to ‘tread lightly’ on the environment; through its signature Tread Lightly Caravan and new fully electric e-van.

“Tread Lightly becoming a part of the Beautification Trust’s work will strengthen our impact and further our shared goals of inspiring environmental action through education,” says Daniel Barthow, CEO of the Beautification Trust. “The hands-on approach, dedicated expertise, and strong school engagement of Tread Lightly will complement and enhance our existing programmes. This consolidation allows us to increase the difference we make and empower communities to build a more sustainable future.”

Tread Lightly will continue to deliver high-impact, interactive experiences at schools, community events, marae, libraries and more—encouraging people of all ages to make simple, everyday choices that help protect te taiao. The programme’s experienced and trusted contractors will all be retained as part of the expanded Beautification Trust whānau.

“It is very exciting to know that the future of Tread Lightly will be in such excellent hands as a fully integrated part of the Beautification Trust,” says Gael Ogilvie, Founder and Chairperson of TLCT. “Our organisations have enjoyed a strong, longstanding relationship built on shared priorities and values. This feels like a natural next step. I look forward to seeing the Tread Lightly mahi (work) continue to flourish within the broader suite of education and engagement programmes.”

This integration supports the Beautification Trust’s strategic focus areas: teaching environmental and sustainability education, loving and restoring the environment, and strengthening community connection and action. The move is expected to create even more opportunities for schools, rangatahi (young people) and whānau across Auckland to connect with the environment through powerful learning experiences.

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