Limits, Legacy and Low-Impact
Matthias’s journey began in the heart of urban Germany, where his environmental awareness originated in early exposure to science and research about the impact of human development.
At age 15, a copy of The Limits to Growth appeared in his family home - a book that sparked stimulating conversations with his father and a lifelong commitment to environmental issues. Over 50 years later, Matthias still has that same book, its message manifested in him, among other things, researching and publishing internationally in the field of climate change and human health during the last 15+ years, and counting.
Now living in Te Tauihu, Aotearoa New Zealand, Matthias has chosen to support his adopted home through a legacy gift to the Top of the South Community Foundation. It’s a decision rooted in gratitude and a desire to ensure the fight for a sustainable future continues beyond his own lifetime.
For Matthias, giving has always been about more than charity. It’s a way of nurturing the world and planting something that can grow beyond his own time. With no direct descendants to pass on his assets, he has thought carefully about what legacy means - not just in financial terms, but in values and impact. Trusting that his contributions will support the community and environment he loves has brought him peace.
“I wanted a way to give back that wasn’t just transactional or commercial,” he says. That search led him to Community Foundations, where the values of generosity, sustainability, and long-term thinking felt aligned with his own.
That sense of continuity runs through other parts of Matthias’s life, too. A passionate recorder of family history, he has spent years preserving the stories of those who came before him. Legacy, for Matthias, is more than just facts and names. It’s a living story we all contribute to, and something we pass on, whether through memories, values or action.
One of the more unexpected parts of Matthias’s story is his transport choices: two wheels over four. He’s never owned a car, using a pushbike for most errands and a well-maintained, nearly 40-year-old motorbike for longer trips or heavier loads. He’ll borrow a car only when absolutely necessary.
With his engineering background and environmental principles, Matthias values the efficiency of a motorbike - less material, less wear, and better fuel economy make it a lower-impact alternative, especially when kept for decades rather than replaced.
His weathered motorbike, owned for 26 years, also plays a social and recreational role. Far from a speed machine, it’s ideal for exploring remote backroads and camping. Whether riding solo or with friends, it connects him to land and people and never as an escape from environmental responsibility.
Through his legacy gift, Matthias has brought together everything he cares about: science, sustainability, curiosity, and community. It’s a thoughtful contribution that will continue to grow and give back long into the future.
As he reflects on what giving means to him, Matthias puts it simply: “There’s only one tree. We all belong to it.”
September is Wills Month
When you give through your local Community Foundation your gift (no matter what size) can be invested and grown into an ongoing source of funding. Have you considered leaving a gift in your Will, find out how you can make your gift last forever.
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