Location & Duration
Location: Kauri Coast, New Zealand
Duration: Minimum 2 weeks
Cost: $1300 USD for the first two weeks + $330 for each week thereafter
Fee includes: all food, accommodation, pre‑departure + in‑country support, orientation and all project related activities
Does not include: flights, travel insurance, personal spending, visas and vaccinations
Benefits
Learn about New Zealand’s unique native flora and fauna and the challenges of its protection
Learn various conservation and monitoring techniques and receive the training required to perform at a biodiversity ranger level
Participate and complete hands‑on conservation work in different forests, each with its unique characteristics
See endangered species in the wild and explore areas closed to the general public
Learn about sustainability and living off‑grid
Engage in self‑discovery through immersion in a remote forest setting
Visit some of the attractions of the Kauri Coast, such as a trip to the lakes or a visit to a 2000‑year‑old tree
About the Sanctuary
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 the rare giant kauri snail. Locals and volunteers work together to protect this lush forest and restore it to its natural splendor. The organization is built on sustainable principles and is totally off‑grid, with most structures and tools recycled from other projects.
Working with the Department of Conservation, we protect and monitor precious wildlife in a number of other forests. Volunteers perform a wide range of activities, including creating access trails, protecting native species from invasive rats, possums, and stoats, planting native trees, monitoring pest numbers, and building an environment that will continue to be home to the endangered Kiwi and Kokako birds. This project gives you a chance to actively restore protected natural ecosystems and creates an everlasting experience.
Volunteer Responsibilities
Cutting and marking tracks
Installing, refilling and monitoring bait stations
Monitoring kiwi, kokako, rodents, bats, lizards, and freshwater fish
Entering data
Weeding and planting the herb garden
Building and landscaping
Chopping wood and other tasks
No volunteer experience is the same; exciting tasks may arise during your stay. We balance maintenance and sustainability activities to provide a well‑rounded experience.
Daily Schedule
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. Once a week we explore the Kauri Coast and return for a night safari looking for kiwi.
Other Information
Weather will always contribute to the day's activities, so volunteers must be adaptable. There will also be plenty of time to explore the surrounding areas of our small nook in New Zealand.
Information above is subject to change.
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