In 2001, for his work with the Green Ribbon campaign, Baysting received the inaugural SPADA/On Film Industry Champion award. The campaign found an ally in Helen Clark who went on to become the first NZ Prime Minister to hold the arts portfolio and who ushered in a remarkable period in New Zealand's cultural growth. In the same year Baysting and Mike Chunn produced the "Nature's Best" collection of the top 30 songs voted for by APRA members and other music luminaries. Released by Sony Music, it became the largest-selling NZ compilation and was followed by several successful follow-up releases.