Councillors at this week's full council meeting signed off two separate memorandums of understanding between the council and the two organisations, spelling out how the parties would work together.
The agreement with the ecosanctuary's trust formalised an existing relationship dating back to 2006, and included the future transfer of captive-reared native wildlife from the Dunedin Botanic Garden's aviary to the ecosanctuary.
It also covered knowledge exchanges, future land management issues and help from the council with the trust's business and promotion efforts to boost visitor numbers, a copy of the agreement showed.
The relationship could result in the trust and council staff working together on projects including wildlife enhancement work on Mihiwaka, overlooking Careys Bay.
Council staff would also use the ecosanctuary for special events and team-building exercises, the document showed.
The only concern at this week's meeting came when Cr Richard Thomson questioned the trust's offer of a discount for the council's use of ecosanctuary visitor facilities.
He wanted to know whether the discount detailed in the memorandum was in response to a council request, and whether the trust would lose out because of the arrangement. The trust was already run on a ''shoestring'' budget that relied on volunteer support.
Council city strategy and development general manager Sue Bidrose said the ''corporate rate'' was offered by the trust.
Cr Andrew Noone said the trust saw the arrangement as beneficial, and also offered the discount to the University of Otago and Otago Museum.
''I'm comfortable with that,'' Cr Thomson replied.
Councillors voted to approve the agreement with the trust and another with the OUSA, which identified issues - from increasing student voter turnout in local body elections to reducing alcohol-related harm - to focus on in 2013-14.
Councillors, prompted by Cr Jinty MacTavish, also asked for a progress report in time for the 2014-15 action plan.
