Happy landowner liaisons
It’s hard to imagine how far along this Karioi restoration journey we’d be without the extraordinary support of the landowners who’ve helped us every step of the way.
Many landowners surrounding Karioi are seasoned farmers, who know the land as intimately as you’d know an old friend, and they care about it just as deeply. Many years ago, we drove around the maunga seeking landowner support to access conservation land, hoping to collaborate to protect local biodiversity. Our landowners' level of commitment has surpassed all expectations!
Each landowner has played a unique and key role. Some have given us access to remote stretches of private land where valuable native species reside—places we simply wouldn’t have reached otherwise. With each gate they’ve opened, they’ve expanded our reach, allowing us to protect habitat across rugged steep hillsides, and forest edges right down to the coastline. This access has been the backbone of our biodiversity restoration efforts, connecting large tracts of land and fragmented patches creating pathways for birdlife to flourish once again. Without this, our vision of an interconnected and thriving ecosystem would have remained just that—a vision.
Some landowners have also provided support with transportation, especially when all we had were our feet to get us up those steep hills! They’ve ferried equipment, volunteers and rangers across steep and rough terrain that would have taken hours instead of minutes. Without their efforts, we would have struggled to transport traps - in the thousands - and supplies up the maunga. At times, crossing the roughest patches, we’d find ourselves gripping our seats while a wildly grinning landowner acted like we were on a leisurely scenic tour rather than a crazy adventure!
The most moving part is how so many surrounding landowners have embraced conservation themselves.
An understanding of the importance of pest management to the protection of the local native birds and forest has led to similar conservation-focused mahi on their own properties - setting traps and filling bait stations. This feels like a shared victory, a sign of our collective impact on this place we all love.
One landowner, Mike—better known as "Cornsie"—jokes when asked what supporting our work means to him: “I wish they’d stop asking me to do stuff!” He’s quick to add, “I love Jazz Mum’s cooking,” referring to the volunteer bait operation days that always begin and end with a spread of homemade cakes and savory treats.
After some good-natured arm-twisting and light-hearted grumbling, Mike reflects more seriously: “I’ve seen a big improvement in the bush canopy, and I love sitting on the bush edge watching all the kererū flying about.”
These landowners have become our partners, our allies, and our friends. Together, we’re watching native species begin to flourish again, and habitats come back to life. We also share the pride of knowing we’re making a difference - a healthier, more vibrant ecosystem that owes so much to their generosity and commitment.
