Rewilding
Rangers
Program
Te Kohuroa Rewilding's Ranger program provides ongoing opportunities for volunteers to gain experience in environmental restoration. The program works through a ‘whole community’ approach and prioritises accessible pathways into active restoration for anyone wanting to contribute to long-term change.
TKRI’s Rewilding Ranger program is expanding volunteer capability and supporting positive, place-based conservation outcomes. Rewilding Rangers work behind the scenes of the project to oversee a variety of restoration processes and their passion drives ongoing community stewardship. From the whenua (land) to the moana (ocean), Rangers actively contribute to a healthier environment, while gaining new skills and experience in the field.
Inspiring future coastal guardians
Becoming a Rewilding Ranger
Te Kohuroa Rewilding’s Ranger program is designed to bring community involvement to the forefront of the restoration process. Volunteers provide thousands of hours of support to the project each year, strengthening community connections and fast-tracking positive environmental outcomes.
Upskilling through immersive experiences
The Rewilding Ranger program supports volunteers with education, training and ongoing field experience across four key areas: the whenua (land), the moana (ocean), the awa (freshwater catchment) and the Hapori (community).
Becoming part of the team
TKRI’s Rewilding Rangers complete an induction process. This teaches them the fundamental goals of the project, how to work with community, and equips them to support positive rewilding experiences for themselves and others.
Prioritising health and safety
All Rewilding Ranger activities involve environmental risk assessments and health and safety training (lead by TKRI staff) to ensure participants have safe and fun experiences while volunteering.
Rewilding is for everyone
Te Kohuroa Rewilding prioritises accessible and inclusive pathways so the whole community can get involved in conservation. We are continually developing how we work with people and community groups, to ensure we can support a wide range of Rewilding Rangers as the project grows.
DID YOU KNOW?
RECLAIMING OUR CONNECTION TO NATURE
Rewilding gives everyday people the opportunity to reconnect to nature. This supports health and resilience for both nature and the community.NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE NECESSARY
Rewilders don’t need qualifications or prior experience to get involved. There are many valuable ways volunteers can support the mahi (work), and everyone has something unique to offer.REWILDERS WORK COLLECTIVELY
From large organisations, local action groups, experts and businesses. Rewilding relies on collective support to achieve long-term positive environmental outcomes.POSITIVE VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCES
TKRI gathers feedback to measure the impacts of volunteering within the community. Tangible increases in motivation, skills, preparedness and hope for the future have been recorded amongst those that rewild.
Why community stewardship?
Humans rely on a healthy environment to thrive. The quality of our food, water and air depends on a range of ‘environmental services’ that come directly from nature. As the global population rises and the impacts of climate change increase, communities have begun looking for new and positive ways to support environmental resilience in their own backyard.
Communities bring many essential qualities to environmental stewardship that large organisations and businesses cannot provide. Intergenerational knowledge can describe changes in the environment over time and inform regenerative planning. Locally-led volunteer groups provide ‘on the ground’ skills and tools for long-term restorative management, and strong community connections can accelerate a groundswell of action.
Globally, rewilding has become a popular approach to environmental regeneration and stewardship. However in Aotearoa, Māori have been practising kaitiakitanga (traditional guardianship) for centuries. By respecting their cultural wisdom and aligning with the priorities of mana whenua, communities can contribute meaningful action to the protection and restoration of te taiao (the environment).
The rewilding process is built around community, and relies on a collective vision for restorative action. Inclusivity ensures respectful alignment and increases the skills and knowledge within the process.
Rewilding Rangers carrying out SHMAK testing
Become a Rewilding Ranger!
Learn rewilding skills and contribute to long-term change.
Rewilding Ranger Program
The Rewilding Ranger program runs all year round, and provides ongoing volunteering opportunities both behind the scenes of the project and at community events. Rangers take on a variety of responsibilities to help TKRI deliver the rewilding program including:
🐟 Engaging with experts - learning restoration processes from experts
🐟 Leading activities - such as monitoring, surveying and ID sessions
🐟 Supporting events - offering beach and kayak support to volunteers
🐟 Citizen Science - overseeing scientific data collection and processing
If you would like to become a Rewilding Ranger, you can fill in the registration form below.
Kelp Restoration | Freshwater Catchment | Rewilding Rangers
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