QEII National Trust, an independent statutory organisation, was set up in 1977 to encourage and promote, for the benefit of New Zealand, the provision, protection, preservation and enhancement of open space. The Trust's core activity is to secure long-term protection of natural and cultural features on private land, usually by the legal mechanism of an open space covenant. The QEII model of protection is proven to be a robust, simple and cost-effective resource management tool.