The Queen Elizabeth II National Trust (QEII) is a registered charity and statutory New Zealand organisation independent from the government and managed by a board of directors.
It was established in 1977 by the Queen Elizabeth the Second National Trust Act 1977 "to encourage and promote, for the benefit of New Zealand, the provision, protection, preservation and enhancement of open space."
QEII covenants consist of a network of over 4,400 protected areas throughout New Zealand, ranging from small backyard patches to huge swathes of high country.
These covenants protect more than 180,000 ha of private land, and play a hugely critical role as a refuge for some of New Zealand's rarest and most endangered biodiversity and ecosystems.
QEII was established in 1977 by the Queen Elizabeth the Second National Trust Act 1977 "to encourage and promote, for the benefit of New Zealand, the provision, protection, preservation and enhancement of open space."