Tararu Valley - About Tararu Valley Sanctuary

A Brief History of Tararu Valley Sanctuary

The initial 115 acres of old forest and scrubland is purchased for the purposes of preserving this special ecological area
Cattle and horses are removed from the property's steep hillsides, and natural regeneration begins
Ecological surveys locate rare and endangered species, including Swamp Maire trees and Hochstettor's frog
Initial trail work and forest recovery begin
Fulltime pest control begins targeting weeds and animal pests

Tararu Valley Conservation Trust is incorporated as a charitable trust
The Waikato Regional Council (EW) recognises the Sanctuary as a "key ecological site" with outstanding natural features on private land.
The TVS ecotourism operation commences, involving international volunteers in recreation and conservation projects, from periods of 6 weeks to 12 months - this also produces income to finance the Sanctuary's conservation work and repay land-debt
Fundraising efforts secure additional resources for pest control

Severe storms result in flooding, severe erosion, and forest damage, with downstream effects for the settlement of Tararu. road access to the Sanctuary is severed for five months of that year
Negotiations begin to create a 200 acre forest reserve at the head of the Tararu catchment, with a QEII covenant
Property neighbouring the Sanctuary comes up for sale, and TVS begins fundraising to secure and protect this additional 230 acres of land, and buy the 7 bedroom building as an environmental centre for volunteers

The initial land purchase campaign is successful and the Trust buys the 230 acres of land with vendor finance in November 2003
The sheep & cattle are removed from this second property's steep hillsides, and natural regeneration begins
During winter months, volunteers establish nearly 10,000 plants along the Tararu riverside to help address the erosion damage from the previous year's storms

The Sanctuary's operation and volunteer accommodation relocate from the lower to the upper buildings (Jan)
A large indoor rock-climbing wall is built into the existing Barn (Mar)
By 2004 over 3000 possums and more than 100 stoats have been trapped, rats poisoned and 132 goats shot
In winter: tree planting of natives and Australian hardwoods on the second property on many of the steep slopes, establishing of fruit & nut orchards

Creation of the 200 acre forest reserve enters its final stage, with TCDC approval and surveying in progress (July)
The TVS native tree nursery (potting shed) is built to propagate and grow on forest plants, to reforest degraded land areas
An outdoor bath and water heating system are created offering communal spa-pool bathing under the stars
In conjunction with DOC & EW, the Peninsula project sees a large area covered in bait stations. Possums, rats and predators are targeted.
New Sanctuary website is developed and launched in November

A full 13 circle mandala permacultural garden is created in the 'Middle Orchard' and ducks, geese and chickens are added
Work begins on constructing a large "Winter Garden" as an addition to the volunteer accommodation buildings, adding indoor gardens and a solar gain area
In August the 200 acre forest reserve is finalised. This receives a QEII covenant giving the land a protection status equivalent to that of a National Park
TVS refinances and repays the initial vendor finance. This puts the project onto a secure 20 year loan, and reduces monthly outgoings (Sept)

Solar panels are installed on the volunteer accommodation, tripling the sustainable power generation of the existing windmills
The tree nursery shade house is finished and hundreds of seedling move in
Vegetation monitoring of eroded slipfaces reveales Nature's power to bounce back after major disturbance
The orchard areas are extended by planting nearly 500 shelter trees

All of these outcomes have been achieved through the efforts of hundreds of local and international volunteers.