The Northland-based Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust (CC23406) was established in 2002, as a charitable umbrella for the Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) marine education and Whitebait Connection (WBC) freshwater education programmes. The Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust - Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) programme was named Te Tohu Matua-Supreme Award winner of Northland Regional Council’s annual ‘Whakamānawa ā Taiao - Environmental Awards’ on Thursday 27 May 2021. The Trust sees education as a vital part of society and central to all environmental restoration. Both programmes involve young people, their parents and the wider community. Our programmes reinforce simple concepts such as the uniqueness of our freshwater and marine biodiversity and provide an active focus on conservation of these environments through education and action. Our goal is to empower and support communities to achieve marine and freshwater conservation through science based experiential programmes, resources, projects and community engagement. Our programmes focus on schools as a focal point for communities to come together and see the future of marine and freshwater through the eyes of their children, thereby motivating meaningful learning and long-term behaviour change in both today’s and tomorrow’s generations.