Red Bridge River Park Trust

The Red Bridge River Park Charitable Trust was registered on 16 June 2014, to create and manage a river park and native recovery centre on riverside land at the Luggate Red Bridge, on the Clutha Mata-Au River, for the benefit of the community in perpetuity.

TRUST STRUCTURE
The Trust's vision is holistic and challenging. The native restoration project alone is a massive task beyond the scope of local volunteers. The site is covered with hundreds of mature wilding pines, which are difficult and potentially very dangerous to remove. Also, each element of the river park vision; restoration, education, heritage, and freshwater protection, requires specific expertise. For this reason, the Trust has been structured to include appropriately qualified Trustees, each with a dedicated role. 

Further, the Trust is structured to ensure that the park's basic operating costs, maintenance, and improvements, are self-funded through the lease of a small on-site cottage to a park caretaker/riverkeeper, who will work for the Trust under the lease agreement, providing the park, and the Trust's native restoration project with long-term surety. 

FOUNDING PRINCIPLES

The Trust is committed to best practice river conservation, while respecting cultural diversity and the living rights of all people, as a community belonging to the Earth and governed by the Laws of Nature.

PURPOSE OF THE TRUST
The purpose of the Trust is to protect and enhance the natural environment of the Red Bridge River Park, and adjoining river corridor areas whenever possible, for the benefit of the community in perpetuity. In particular, the Trust will:

• Share and enhance the mauri, or life force, of the sacred life-giving Clutha Mata-Au River.
• Provide a common outdoor recreation facility for people of all cultures and ages to enjoy.
• Maintain an on-site native nursery for native restoration, encouraging volunteer participation.
• Support outdoor education activities for students at all levels in the education sector.
• Partner with leading researchers involved in freshwater science and riparian conservation.
• Interpret our gold-mining cultural heritage and protect archaeological features at the park.
• Retain an on-site Riverkeeper as Caretaker of the native nursery and river park in perpetuity.
• At all times operate with a charitable purpose.