Off-grid Environmental Conservation

This Sanctuary is a non-profit organization located in the cloud-forest of Tutamoe Peak in Northland, New Zealand. The area is home to the endangered kiwi bird and to the rare giant kauri snail. Locals and volunteers are working together to protect this lush forest and to restore it to its natural splendor. The organization is built on sustainable principles and it is totally off-grid with most of the structures and tools having been recycled from other projects.

Working with the Department of Conservation, we are also able to protect and monitor the precious wildlife in a number of other forests each having its unique characteristics. Our volunteers perform a wide range of these activities, creating access trails, protecting native species from invasive rats, possums, and stoats, planting native trees, monitoring the pest numbers, and building an environment that will continue to be home to the endangered Kiwi and Kokako birds. This project not only gives you a chance to actively restore protected natural ecosystems, but it also creates an everlasting experience for all who are involved.

Volunteering at the sanctuary will challenge your mind, body and soul. Not only will you learn a great amount about conservation and sustainability practices, but you will also be involved in the execution of the sanctuary’s daily maintenance tasks and activities.

You’ll be getting your hands dirty with activities like:

• cutting and marking tracks,
• installing, refilling and monitoring bait stations,
• monitoring kiwi, kokako, and rodents,
• entering data,
• weeding and planting the herb garden,
• building & landscaping
• milking cows,
• making cheese and butter,
• chopping wood and much, much more.

No volunteer experience is the same and you never know what exciting tasks will come up while you’re here! We try to balance the maintenance and sustainability activities so everyone gets a well-rounded stay. We appreciate every hour our volunteers put in because without you, this initiative would not be possible.

Each day allows for leisure activities and self-discovery, too- so we’re not all work and no play. Typically, your day is going to look something like this:

6:30 am - 8 am Cow milking (optional activity)
8 am - 9 am Breakfast
9 am - 9:30 am Clean-up
10 am - 12 pm Morning work activities
12 pm - 1 pm Lunch (indoors or picnic-style)
1 pm - 4 pm Afternoon working activities
4 pm - 6 pm Free time/ leisure time
6 pm - 8 pm Dinner
8 pm - 10 pm Leisure activities- sunset watching, soccer, dusk bird chorus

Monday are free days when you can relax, maybe head into town to use the internet. Once a week we will head explore some of the sights of the Kauri Coast and on return go on a night safari looking for kiwi in the forest.

Weather will always be a contributing factor to the days activities, so we need adaptable volunteers with can-do attitudes! There will also be plenty of time to explore the gorgeous surrounding areas of our little nook of New Zealand.