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Location
  • New Zealand
Project Types
Conservation Environmental Conservation Wildlife Conservation Summer Tourism

Program Details

Language
English
Housing
Hostel

Pricing

Price Details
For the volunteering program a commitment of minimum four weeks is required. Other programs are available. Basic accommodation (small hut), delicious food, and travel activities are included in the price of the program.
Oct 04, 2016
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18 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Join our unique volunteer program that combines conservation work with sightseeing of the spectacular Kauri Coast, New Zealand. Explore a forest that has not been walked into for more than a generation and contribute to the protection of the native forest and kiwi birds.

Nestled on the slopes of Mount Tutamoe, the sanctuary encompasses 100 hectares of regenerating native forest. Views of the ocean, an unexplored forest, and the song of native birds are just the first in the many experiences to be had.

Pupu Rangi is home to many of the native species of trees and birds that require active protection from introduced predators. Here are some of the current projects:

- Forest Discovery and Species Classification
- Mapping and Clearing of Walking Tracks
- Fencing of the Forest to Prevent the Entrance of the Grazing Cattle
- Predator Control

We welcome volunteers between November and April.

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Video and Photos

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Volunteers at the Pupu Rangi Nature Sanctuary
Building an outdoor bath at the Pupu Rangi Nature Sanctuary
View from the Pupu Rangi Nature Sanctuary
Meet the locals at the Pupu Rangi Nature Sanctuary

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Questions & Answers

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Octavian Grigoriu

Program
Forest and Kiwi Conservation - Kauri Coast, New Zealand
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What position do you hold at the Pupu Rangi Nature Sanctuary? What has been your career path so far?

I am the founder of the Pupu Rangi Nature Sanctuary. So far, my career path has consisted of incremental steps in the telecommunications field alternating with long periods of travel around the globe. Every three years or so, I take a break from my day job and use a year (or two) to travel the world, do some volunteer work, and contribute a little to the greater global community.

What inspired you to join the team at the Pupu Rangi Nature Sanctuary?

Many of us stare at a computer screen wishing that we could do something more meaningful with our lives. The work that the Pupu Rangi team does provides the satisfaction of knowing that the time spent in the forest helps with the recovery of the native forest and birds. Moreover, most of the day is spent in a forest close to nature, learning about the plants and creatures that call it home, and always discovering something new.

What is your favorite story of a volunteer's experience at sanctuary?

The volunteer team that has worked during the 2012 season had a hard time going through a particular area that consisted of thick wall of supple jack. It took us hours to go a few meters through this tough and flexible vine. After a week of cutting, the team made it through and met with another path. Everyone in the team received a chocolate fish, which for us is the pinnacle of acknowledgement. The trail has been named “Chocolate Fish.”

Of which accomplishments of the Pupu Rangi Nature Sanctuary and its volunteers are you most proud?

The accomplishment that I am most proud of is the completion of a grid of trails that covers 10% of the total sanctuary area. For three long weeks, the volunteer teams have worked very hard to cut the tracks, install the bait stations, and fill them up a few times. The result of this work has been captured on our night cameras and everyone could see the results almost immediately.

What about the future of conservation work on the Kauri Coast? How do you think it will change over the next 10 years?

One of the major threats to the local flora and fauna is represented by an introduced species, the possum. Possums eat vast quantities of foliage every night, stripping trees bare and thus killing them. A method of assessing the health of the native forest is look up and estimate the percentage of sky that one sees through the foliage. My hope is that in ten years from now, on a sunny day, as I walk through the forest listening to the bird songs, I will not be able to see the sky at all.

Location

Location:
New Zealand
Currency:
New Zealand Dollar
Airports:
Auckland International Airport
( AKL )
Wellington International Airport
( WLG )

Legend has it that Polynesian demigod, Maui, fished New Zealand out of the sea. The south-pacific culture that inspired this legend still thrives in New Zealand today.

The country, from its snow-capped peaks to its bubbling hot springs, is filled with stunning landscapes, but even more impressive is the easy-going nature of the locals. Kiwis, as New Zealanders refer to themselves, are truly welcoming, life-loving people.

Situated on two separate islands (the North Island and the South Island), New Zealand is home to some of the most beautiful and diverse natural environments on the planet.

About Pupu Rangi Nature Sanctuary

Imagine a jungle-like forest where no one has walked through in the last forty years. Be the first person in a generation to venture into the unknown! Join our unique program that unites conservation work with travel to the spectacular sites of the Kauri Coast in New Zealand. Learn about protecting the native forest and birds, venture through an...

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