The Million Metres Streams project is a national program and funding mechanism which helps identify native vegetation river restoration efforts and facilitates securing them funding from multiple sources.

Nature-based program:

The Million Metres Streams project is run by the Sustainable Business Network and focuses on brokering financing for community-led waterway restoration projects. The project aims to raise $10 million over the next 5 years for these projects and secures financing through partnerships with philanthropic organizations and the private sector. Until 2022, the project had accepted crowd-funding as a financing mechanism, but has updated its protocols to focus solely on businesses and philanthropic organizations. Since 2014 the project has worked with 43 local land-owners and community organizations to help finance 72 restoration projects. In total across New Zealand it has helped plant 550,000+ native tree and plant species and restored more than 80km of waterways.

Overview of context and outcomes:

The waterways of New Zealand currently exist in a highly degraded state. It is reported that 82% of river length in pastoral farming areas and 94% of river length in urban areas are not suitable for swimming due to pollution. On top of this 90% of the countries historic wetlands have been destroyed for alternative uses and 76% of native freshwater fish species are threatened.