Velskov

16/01/2026

From tiny Parau, we are proud to be the backdrop supporting an amazing group of thinkers and doers rekindling our edible native forests.

Especially grateful to Ramona Radford for standing tall on that special rainy day.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1NxJ68AD5S/?mibextid=wwXIfretinfdlinf bme d rrallhi eh hr i ib

A collective of Māori chefs aim to revive knowledge of classical kai Māori culture and the native flora and fauna that underpins it.

Full story ⬇

10/10/2025

Velskov & The Hotel Britomart Named Finalists in the 2025 Sustainable Business Awards

We are proud to share that Velskov Forest Farm and The Hotel Britomart have been recognised as finalists in the Sustainable Business Network’s Next List 2025, for our joint creation — Nourishing Nature.

Nourishing Nature is New Zealand’s first hotel-led regenerative tourism experience, designed to connect people with the living forest — not as observers, but as participants.

Hosted weekly at Velskov, the experience invites guests from The Hotel Britomart to spend a day immersed in nature: foraging for native edibles, co-cooking a forest meal over fire, and planting trees that will grow for generations.

Each visit restores part of the native ecosystem, strengthens biodiversity, and builds meaningful connections between people and place.

The partnership between The Hotel Britomart and Velskov grew from shared values. Together, we’re reimagining tourism as a regenerative act — where travel gives more than it takes, and every guest leaves a living legacy.

This finalist recognition celebrates the many hands and hearts involved — from hosts and chefs to ecologists, guides, and guests who have helped us bring this experience to life.

The Sustainable Business Network’s Next List honours individuals and collaborations across Aotearoa who are leading the shift toward a more sustainable, resilient future. To stand alongside such inspiring innovators affirms that regeneration is not a niche, but the way forward.

“When we restore the forest, we restore ourselves.”

Thank you to all who have supported this journey — and to every guest who has planted, tasted, and tended with us. This recognition belongs to you.

Read more about the 2025 finalists here:
👉 sustainable.org.nz

10/09/2025

What does sustainability feel like? (It’s not a spreadsheet).

I founded Velskov in 2022 on that simple idea. We believe true, lasting action for our planet isn’t drafted in a meeting room; it’s felt with every sense.

Together with Clinton Farley, Rochelle Gray, we created Nourishing Nature—an experience that opens our forest farm to city guests, offering an antidote to sensory starvation through regenerative tourism.

With Kylie Rae and Tayla Browne, we’re bringing the forest to busy leaders with our Bush Boardroom, letting people taste, touch, and hear the very world they’re working to protect.

Now, with Ramona Radford and David Hall, we are looking at ways to share the learning of forest farming with more people combining conservation with commercial sustainability.

A new article from Harvard on Thoreau just named this exact feeling: the “sauntering of the senses.” It’s about breaking our habits of perception. And that’s what a day at Velskov is designed to do.

Here, your ears decode birdsong, not notifications. Your hand feels the bark of a nīkau palm, not a mouse. Your taste discovers the fresh hangehange leaves (picked by yourself), not the plastic wrapped ceasar salad.

This is the deep, sensory connection to whenua that we cultivate. It’s the same genuine, grounded excellence that defines our friends at The Hotel Britomart, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, and Tourism New Zealand.

It’s not just about visiting; it’s about feeling.

Come and remember what you’re saving.

Share if you know someone who needs to feel it.

10/09/2025

Is spring late?

The calendar flipped to spring 10 days ago. But in Auckland, the real announcement is running late.

Our native kumarahou—our golden cherry blossom—holds the key. Its bloom is the true sign that winter has truly ended, promising the warmth to come.

The gold has not opened yet…

So we wait. Because in Velskov, spring doesn’t start on a date. It starts as a flower.

28/08/2025

What if 24 hours was enough to reset your sense of wellbeing? One perfect day of restoration, where Velskov’s wild beauty meets The Hotel Britomart’s urban elegance.

Step into the sun-dappled shade of New Zealand’s lush native rainforest for an immersive sensory experience where conservation, cuisine and community come together.

On our half-day (9am–2:30pm) Nourishing Nature experience, you’ll head to the beautiful Waitākere Ranges to visit Velskov that’s bringing traditional native plant ingredients into some of Auckland’s best restaurants. You’ll forage herbs and plants with the guidance of an expert, discover the taste profiles of these ingredients, and learn how reforesting native bush helps New Zealand’s rich biodiversity flourish.

After the harvest, enjoy a forest-to-table lunch in a stunning open-air glasshouse. Your host will cook over an open fire, serving native-inspired dishes alongside artisan cheeses, meats and breads. Sip herbaceous drinks as you listen to birdsong and learn more about local ecological practices and cultural traditions.

You’ll also contribute directly to forest restoration by planting a native sapling — grown from seed at The Hotel Britomart’s sister property, The Landing New Zealand.

Every element of the experience is designed to be light on the earth and deeply connected to community — from electric vehicle transfers and community-sourced produce to local storytelling and indigenous planting.

Bookings open now.

15/08/2025

Over the past 220 years, the connection between people and nature has declined by more than 60%. That’s the key finding of a study led by Miles Richardson, a professor of nature connectedness at the University of Derby in England.

Losing touch with nature is increasingly recognized as a contributing factor to the environmental crisis the planet is facing today. When people feel disconnected from the natural world, they are less likely to protect it.

11/07/2025

We love the latest TravelLife Magazine edition for what travellers are looking for: depth, connection, and a sense of purpose.

At Velskov, we’ve spent years crafting experiences that do more than look good — they restore both the land and the people who walk through it.

From Fern Bath to our Nourishing Nature, these experiences are designed for travellers who want to feel the world again, not through a screen, but through the soil, the food, and the stories of place.

This feature acknowledges something we’ve known all along: that regenerative travel isn’t a trend. It’s a return. To what matters. To what lasts.

Thank you, Ruth Atherley, for highlighting the kind of travel that gives more than it takes.

Read the full story here - Page 58.: https://lnkd.in/g9P5XPVp

18/06/2025

We’re thrilled to share that Velskov Forest Farm has been featured in Forbes! 🌿

In the story, I talk about what regenerative tourism looks like in practice — how our guests plant native trees, learn from the land, and take part in a truly circular experience.

Check out the article and find out how you can join our Nourishing Nature days from August!

Read more here: https://velskov.com/news/regenerative-travel-is-here-and-were-honoured-to-be-featured-in-forbes

16/06/2025

Regenerative Futures: New Zealand × Denmark

We’re thrilled to announce the beginnings of a meaningful collaboration between Velskov Forest Farm in Aotearoa New Zealand and Himmelbjerggaarden – Nordic Inspiration Centre for Sustainable Development in Denmark.

I recently had the privilege of spending several days at Himmelbjerggården, hosted by its visionary founder Aslaug and her wonderful partner, Paul. Together, they have cultivated a powerful space for learning, connection, and ecological restoration on the iconic Sky Mountain Himmelbjerget.

During our time together—while attending a moving Symposium for Nature—we shared experiences, aspirations, and possibilities for shaping regenerative futures across hemispheres.

Aslaug and Paul’s warmth, dedication, and clear vision are truly inspiring. What they’ve built is not just a centre for sustainability, but a beacon of hope.

A heartfelt thank you to them and their incredible team of staff and volunteers for such generous hospitality. We’re excited for what’s to come.

11/04/2025

Loved meeting you Kate!

18/02/2025

Another beautiful tree in the ground! Such a pleasure to welcome and his Tristan to .forest for magazine. Thank you at for setting us up. Bliss.