The Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust was formed in 2001. It is a non-profit charitable organisation that works with landowners, agencies, runanga, sponsors, and the wider community to promote the conservation and enhancement of indigenous biodiversity and sustainable land management on Banks Peninsula.

The Trust was formed as a community-driven organisation to faciliate the protection of biodiversity on private land using voluntary methods. This was following a mediated settlement of land-owner appeals to the Environment Court regarding the then Banks Peninsula District Council's decisions to impose rules about biodiversity protection on private land. In 2003 the Minister of Conservation granted BPCT covenanting authority status under Section 77(1) of the Reserves Act 1997, making the Trust the first non-government organisation to place covenants on to land titles since the QEII Trust began 40 years ago.

In 2016 the Associate Minister of Conservation, the Hon. Nicky Wagner, launched our 2050 Ecological Vision for Banks Peninsula. This Vision is widely supported by the Banks Peninsula community, local runanga, the Department of Conservation, Christchurch City Council, Environment Canterbury, a range of conservation organisations, corporate partners, and our landowners. It includes eight ecological goals and provides strategic direction for the cohesive and collaborative management of indigenous biodiversity on Banks Peninsula. All of the Trust’s programmes are underpinned by this Vision.