Volunteer: Off-grid Environmental Conservation in New Zealand

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.