General Conservation Volunteers for Work Mornings

Key Duties:

As a volunteer field worker, you will support critical on-the-ground management in the reserve. Main responsibilities include:

Pest Control Operations: Servicing bait stations and maintaining lure lines during designated winter/spring pest control operations.

Track & Line Maintenance: Clearing vegetation, windfalls, and overgrown bush along marked grid lines and access tracks using hand tools (loppers, hand saws).

Marker & Boundary Care: Replacing, repairing, or installing track markers, bait station tags, and signs to ensure safe navigation.

Monitoring of pest species using tracking cards for rats and wax tags for possums

Teamwork & Communication: Ability to follow safety guidelines, register in/out reliably, and work cooperatively with group leaders.

Prior experience is beneficial but by no means necessary.

Benefits of Volunteering:

Direct Conservation Experience: Gain practical, hands-on field experience in pest management, bushcraft, and wildlife monitoring.

Immersive Forest Access: Spend time in pristine native bush off the beaten path, hearing the famous ringing song of the kōkako firsthand.

Community & Connection: Connect with a passionate network of local conservationists, community members, and ecological experts.

Health & Well-being: Enjoy active outdoor exercise in an inspiring natural environment.

The Impact You Will Make:

By maintaining network lines and keeping predator numbers near zero, your work directly protects vulnerable kōkako eggs and chicks during the critical breeding season. Your contribution ensures that one of the North Island’s most successful community conservation stories continues to flourish, safeguarding native biodiversity for generations to come.

Extra Steps to Apply:

Safety Induction & Briefing: All new volunteers must attend a brief orientation session covering health and safety procedures, hazard management, and emergency protocol in the Kaharoa Conservation Area.

Equipment Requirements: Volunteers must provide their own sturdy footwear (hiking boots are best), weather-appropriate outdoor clothing (layers, raincoat), daypack, water, and a snack. High-visibility vests and specialist field equipment are provided by the Trust.