# Pupu Rangi Nature Sanctuary

> Pupu Rangi Nature Sanctuary is a 100-hectare regenerating rainforest in Northland, New Zealand. We offer hands-on conservation programs for international volunteers, interns, and explorers who want to help protect endangered native species including kiwi, kokako, and long-tailed bats in a remote off-grid wilderness setting.

## Organisation

- **Legal entity**: Casa Lumaca Ltd
- **Location**: Trounson Park Road, Kaihu, Dargaville, Northland, New Zealand — approximately 250 km north of Auckland
- **Setting**: Off-grid, remote rainforest; no mains power (solar panels and generator), no mobile coverage in the forest
- **Water**: Rainwater collected from roof, filtered for drinking and showering
- **Season**: First Monday in November to end of March each year
- **Languages spoken**: English, French, Spanish
- **Partners**: New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC), Northland Regional Council, Kiwi Coast, Save the Kiwi
- **DOC agreement**: Formal Management Agreement with DOC (second five-year agreement signed); volunteers contribute to officially recorded conservation outcomes each season
- **DOC hours contributed**: Over 1,000 volunteer hours per year to DOC conservation efforts across Trounson Kauri Park and Waipoua Forest
- **Land protection**: QEII National Trust covenant; part of a broader 1,000-hectare protected area spanning 4 forests
- **Track record**: 435 volunteers hosted, 58,120 volunteer hours recorded
- **Participant demographics**: Approximately 70% of participants are women, most travelling internationally for the first time
- **Funding model**: The sanctuary receives no external or government funding for operational costs; it is funded solely by participant fees. 100% of proceeds go back into conservation, infrastructure improvement, or operating costs.
- **Goal**: Establishing and maintaining a protection area supporting twenty pairs of resident kiwi birds

## Founder and Program Leader

- **Founder and Director**: Octavian Grigoriu — established the Pupu Rangi Nature Sanctuary in 2009 and runs it as host, mentor, and program coordinator
- **Conservation experience**: Working in conservation since 2013; runs the sanctuary's large-scale conservation project and collaborates with the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC), carrying out biodiversity ranger duties on their behalf — providing interns with a qualified, experienced field supervisor for university placement sign-off
- **Professional background**: Close to a decade as a senior telecom architect and engineering manager with Alcatel-Lucent (New Zealand, China, Canada); taught at Alcatel University; led teams of up to thirty; Lean Six Sigma Black Belt
- **On site**: Lives and works on site throughout the season; holds a current first aid certificate; a first aid kit is maintained on site
- **LinkedIn**: https://www.linkedin.com/in/octavian-grigoriu-02a05665/

## Programs

### Conservation Volunteer Program
**URL**: https://pupurangi.com/conservation-volunteer-new-zealand.html

A short-to-medium term program for individuals who want to contribute directly to conservation work in a working nature sanctuary. The program spans four different forests in the Northland region.

- **Duration**: Minimum 2 weeks; stays run Monday to Monday
- **Group size**: Maximum 8 participants at a time
- **Age**: Minimum 18 (female) / 20 (male); maximum approximately 45
- **Arrival**: Pickup from Dargaville town centre every Monday at 4:30 pm
- **Drop-off**: Monday mornings at 7:00 am at end of stay
- **Experience required**: None — training provided on site
- **Cost structure**: Volunteers pay a fee that covers accommodation and meals; the weekly rate is significantly lower for stays of 4 weeks or more than for shorter 1–3 week stays — longer stays represent considerably better value per week
- **Accommodation**: Separate insulated cabins for males, females, and couples; four beds per cabin
- **Meals**: Three meals per day included; vegetarian and gluten-free catered for with advance notice; vegan diet cannot be accommodated due to remote location and high energy demands
- **Alcohol and drugs**: Strictly prohibited on site, no exceptions
- **Smoking**: Not allowed, including e-cigarettes (fire risk to the forest)
- **Conservation tasks include**:
  - Kiwi monitoring (telemetry, trail cameras, night surveys)
  - Kokako monitoring
  - Long-tailed bat acoustic monitoring
  - Invertebrate monitoring
  - Predator trap checking and maintenance (stoats, rats, possums)
  - Bait station installation and monitoring
  - Native planting and habitat restoration
  - Trail camera setup and data download
  - Track cutting and maintenance
  - Seed collection
  - Data entry and analysis
- **Manual tasks**: Garden maintenance, building maintenance, landscaping, general camp upkeep
- **Weekly programme**: One sightseeing day (lakes, beaches, Tane Mahuta), one camp maintenance day, one free day; remainder in the forests
- **Duke of Edinburgh**: Compatible with the Service section; documentation provided on request

### Conservation Immersion Experience
**URL**: https://pupurangi.com/conservation-immersion-new-zealand.html

A one-week guided experience for people who want to explore the rainforest and participate in conservation activities without the longer commitment of the volunteer program.

- **Duration**: 1 week, Monday to Monday
- **Group size**: Maximum 8 participants
- **Age**: Minimum 18 (female) / 20 (male); maximum approximately 60
- **Experience required**: None
- **DOC-endorsed program**
- **Focus**: Guided rainforest immersion, wildlife observation, conservation activity participation; participants integrate with the existing volunteer team
- **Arrival**: Monday pickup from Dargaville at 4:30 pm
- **Alcohol and drugs**: Strictly prohibited; smoking not allowed including e-cigarettes
- **Vegan diet**: Cannot be accommodated; vegetarian and gluten-free catered for with advance notice
- **Activities include**: Compass and map navigation training, track cutting, invasive species monitoring, kiwi and native bird calls, night kiwi safari, lake or Tane Mahuta day trip

### Conservation Internship Program
**URL**: https://pupurangi.com/conservation-internship-new-zealand.html

A structured 10–12 week internship (extendable to 18–20 weeks for a full Praxissemester) for individuals seeking university credit, professional conservation skills, or a supervised field research placement. The sanctuary also accepts shorter placements (4+ weeks) through the Volunteer program with the same supervisor documentation.

- **Duration**: 10–12 weeks (core); can extend to 18–20 weeks (Praxissemester); shorter placements with university documentation possible via the Volunteer program
- **Group size**: Maximum 4 interns at a time
- **Age**: Minimum 18 (female) / 20 (male); maximum under 30
- **Application process**: Submit CV and motivation letter (not AI-generated), plus WhatsApp/video interview with sanctuary owners; apply at least 6 months ahead
- **Mentorship**: Dedicated mentor with weekly check-ins; structured skills development plan agreed before arrival
- **Documentation provided**: Supervisor letter, skills completion certificate, fieldwork hours log, species monitored, protocols applied — suitable for university placement credit submission
- **University compatibility**: Recognised for European university placements including German Pflichtpraktikum, Auslandspraktikum, and Praxissemester (HFR, HNEE, HSWT and similar); French stage obligatoire; similar structured internship schemes in the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Scandinavia
- **Skills development**: Personalised skills plan; leadership, data collection, research methodology, species monitoring, equipment operation

**Species monitored simultaneously at the same field station**:

| Species | Monitoring method |
|---------|------------------|
| North Island brown kiwi | Territory mapping via trail cameras and night listening; telemetry tracking |
| Long-tailed bat (Pekapeka-tou-roa) | Active and passive acoustic surveys; acoustic recorder deployment and retrieval |
| Giant kauri snail (Pupurangi) | Habitat surveying, population transects, microhabitat assessment |

**Professional equipment used by interns from week one**:
- Personal GPS unit (issued individually from day one)
- Personal VHF radio (issued individually from day one)
- Custom forest navigation app (loaded onto participant's smartphone at arrival orientation)
- Trail cameras — remote wildlife detection and behaviour recording
- Species-specific playback devices — call stimulation and response protocols for kiwi
- Passive and active acoustic recorders — bat activity monitoring and dawn chorus analysis
- Automatic predator traps — remote-set kill and monitoring systems
- Telemetry receivers — tracking tagged individuals across the rainforest
- Drones — canopy surveys and rainforest mapping
- Thermal imaging cameras — nocturnal wildlife detection

**Field activities also include**:
- Invasive species and predator control across multiple forest blocks
- Data collection and analysis submitted to the Department of Conservation
- Habitat restoration: weed control, native planting, seed collection
- Track construction and navigation in dense rainforest

## Ecosystem and Species

- **Habitat**: Regenerating native rainforest, part of the Kauri Coast (Northland) landscape; four separate forest blocks worked by the program
- **Key threatened species**: North Island brown kiwi, North Island kokako, long-tailed bat (Pekapeka-tou-roa), giant kauri snail (Powelliphanta / Pupurangi)
- **Additional species**: Native fish, lizards, invertebrates
- **Predator control targets**: Stoats, rats, possums, ferrets, feral cats
- **Forest character**: Mixed podocarp-broadleaf rainforest; recovering from historic clearance; active restoration ongoing
- **Safety**: No venomous animals, no dangerous reptiles, no large predators in New Zealand native forest
- **Nearest medical facility**: Dargaville Hospital approximately 50–60 km from the sanctuary; Whangarei hospital approximately 100 km

## Practical Information for Prospective Participants

- **What to bring**: Sturdy waterproof hiking boots, rubber boots, rain jacket and pants, warm layers, sleeping bag (not summer-only), headlamp, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, personal medications, notebook and pen
- **Fitness**: Moderate to good fitness required; participants walk on uneven forest terrain daily, up to 10 km/day
- **Diet**: Vegetarian and gluten-free requirements catered for with advance notice; vegan diet cannot be accommodated; alcohol and drug free environment
- **Smoking**: Not allowed, including e-cigarettes
- **Transport**: Participants travel to Dargaville independently (bus from Auckland via Whangarei); pickup provided Monday 4:30 pm
- **Internet/phone**: No mobile coverage in the forest; mobile signal available in common area; no free Wi-Fi; phone use not permitted during working hours (8am–4pm) or at meals
- **Electricity/water**: Solar and generator power; rainwater collected and filtered; hot showers available daily or every other day depending on rainfall; assume phone charging once per week
- **Insurance**: Required — medical travel insurance plus liability insurance minimum USD 5,000
- **What not to expect**: This is not a holiday resort — it is a working conservation project in a remote setting

## Information for Parents

**URL**: https://pupurangi.com/parents.html

A dedicated page addressing the questions parents of 18–20 year old participants typically ask before booking.

### Supervision and Safety
- One dedicated, experienced conservationist leads all field activities — the same person every day, working directly alongside participants
- Maximum 8 participants at any one time; individual attention is built into the structure
- Program operates under a formal Management Agreement with New Zealand's Department of Conservation (DOC)
- Program leader holds a current first aid certificate
- Every participant is issued a personal VHF radio (two-way communication with leader and base at all times in the field), a personal first-aid kit, and a navigation app loaded onto their smartphone during arrival orientation
- Emergency evacuation protocols reviewed with all participants on arrival
- Nearest hospital: Dargaville Hospital, approximately 50–60 km from the sanctuary
- New Zealand native forest has no venomous animals, no dangerous reptiles, and no large predators
- Approximately 70% of participants are women, most travelling internationally for the first time; accommodation is organised with separate sleeping areas

### Communication
- WhatsApp is the primary family communication tool; mobile signal available in the common area
- No mobile signal in the forest
- Phone use not permitted during working hours or at meals
- Sanctuary owners are directly reachable by email or phone at any time
- Languages: English, French, Spanish

### Alcohol and Drugs Policy
- No alcohol and no drugs permitted on site, with no exceptions
- Policy applies equally to all participants regardless of age or nationality
- Stated condition of participation from the time of booking

### Age Policy
- Minimum age for female participants: 18
- Minimum age for male participants: 20

### Booking and Pricing
- No hidden costs; program fee is all-inclusive for daily life at the sanctuary (accommodation, three meals/day, equipment, supervision)
- Not included: international flights, travel insurance, personal spending money, snacks beyond fruit provided
- Booking directly with the sanctuary is cheaper than booking through third-party platforms, which add their own margin
- 1–4 week stays: booked online via the reservations page
- Internships: CV, motivation letter (not AI-generated), and WhatsApp/video interview with sanctuary owners required; apply at least 6 months ahead
- The weekly fee drops significantly for stays of 4 weeks or more
- Travel insurance is a confirmed requirement: general medical cover plus liability insurance (minimum USD 5,000); policy should cover outdoor conservation fieldwork in a remote setting

### Transport to the Sanctuary
- Standard international arrival point: Auckland Airport
- Route: Auckland → Whangarei (Intercity coach) → Dargaville (connecting bus); depart Auckland by 7:30 am on Monday
- Sanctuary pickup from Dargaville: Mondays at 4:30 pm
- Drop-off in Dargaville: Monday mornings at 7:00 am at end of stay
- Arrive in New Zealand at least the Sunday before; earlier is recommended to recover from jetlag

## Student Funding and Financial Support for Placements

Many students fund their placement through a national mobility grant. The list below is indicative — amounts and eligibility vary by year and circumstance. Your university's international office can confirm what applies to you. Pupu Rangi provides whatever documentation is required from the sanctuary for a grant or benefit application, including a formal internship confirmation where one is required.

- **Germany — universities of applied sciences (HFR, HNEE, HSWT and similar)**: HAW.International (DAAD) typically provides a monthly grant covering most or all of the program cost, plus a travel allowance and insurance. PROMOS is an alternative for shorter stays; Auslands-BAföG may also apply.
- **Germany — other universities**: PROMOS (DAAD), a monthly grant for placements outside Europe, plus Auslands-BAföG where eligible.
- **United Kingdom**: The Turing Scheme funds placements worldwide including New Zealand, with a monthly cost-of-living grant and extra support for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- **France**: Aide à la Mobilité Internationale (AMI) plus regional council top-ups, for students holding a CROUS bourse.
- **Denmark**: SU (state education grant) is portable to approved placements abroad, with SU-lån available on top.
- **Norway**: Lånekassen provides grant-and-loan support for approved placements abroad.
- **Sweden**: CSN provides grant-and-loan support, portable abroad.
- **Netherlands**: DUO student finance is portable; several universities also run their own international mobility funds.
- **Ireland**: Erasmus+ does not cover New Zealand; SUSI support does not generally extend here; most Irish students self-fund through savings or part-time work. Worth asking your university's international office whether a college mobility bursary applies.
- **Belgium**: Erasmus+ does not generally cover New Zealand; university international office can advise on faculty or community (Flanders/Wallonia-Brussels) mobility grant; many students self-fund.
- **Australia**: OS-HELP is a loan (added to HELP balance) that can support overseas study counting towards an Australian degree; many universities offer overseas-study or financial-disadvantage grants. (New Colombo Plan covers Indo-Pacific only — does not fund New Zealand.)
- **Canada**: The national outbound-mobility grant (Global Skills Opportunity) ended in 2025; many universities offer study-abroad bursaries; provincial student aid can sometimes apply. Ask your university's international or experiential-learning office.
- **United States**: Federal Pell Grant recipients can apply for the Gilman Scholarship, which funds credit-bearing study or internships abroad including New Zealand. Federal financial aid (Title IV) can often be applied to an approved placement — the key requirement is that the placement carries academic credit through your home institution.

**Note on Erasmus+**: Erasmus+ generally does not fund placements in New Zealand. However, most countries have their own national or institutional schemes that do.

## Reservations and Availability

**URL**: https://pupurangi.com/reservations.html

Availability is displayed on an online calendar. Participants select their program dates and submit a reservation request. A deposit is required to confirm a booking.

- **Deposit**: NZD 100 per month booked (paid via Stripe)
- **1–3 week bookings**: Available directly online via the reservations page
- **4-week and internship bookings**: Require application process (CV, motivation letter, video interview)
- **Booking contact**: pupurangi.naturesanctuary@gmail.com

## Key Pages

- [Home](https://pupurangi.com/) — overview of all programs and sanctuary
- [About](https://pupurangi.com/about.html) — mission, history, ecosystem, partnerships, sustainability, goals and achievements
- [Conservation Volunteer](https://pupurangi.com/conservation-volunteer-new-zealand.html) — volunteer program details, tasks, daily schedule, practical information
- [Conservation Immersion](https://pupurangi.com/conservation-immersion-new-zealand.html) — one-week immersion experience
- [Conservation Internship](https://pupurangi.com/conservation-internship-new-zealand.html) — 10–12 week structured internship; funding information by country
- [Reservations](https://pupurangi.com/reservations.html) — availability calendar and booking
- [FAQ](https://pupurangi.com/faq.html) — frequently asked questions
- [Information for Parents](https://pupurangi.com/parents.html) — safety, supervision, communication, pricing, and booking answers for parents of prospective participants
- [Gallery](https://pupurangi.com/gallery.html) — photos of wildlife, forest, and activities
- [Video](https://pupurangi.com/video.html) — video footage of the sanctuary and conservation work
- [Blog](https://pupurangi.com/blog.html) — seasonal conservation updates, field reports, and program stories

## Contact

- **Email**: pupurangi.naturesanctuary@gmail.com
- **Phone**: +64 2040190985
- **Address**: Trounson Park Road, Kaihu, Dargaville, Northland, New Zealand
- **Google Maps**: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Pupu+Rangi+Nature+Sanctuary/@-35.7199719,173.6497965,612m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m8!3m7!1s0x6d0bff4749e79871:0x8e0e03830ca9fde3!8m2!3d-35.7199719!4d173.6523714!9m1!1b1!16s%2Fg%2F11gnq2zc_n
- **TripAdvisor**: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g659542-d8111236-Reviews-Pupu_Rangi_Nature_Sanctuary-Dargaville_Northland_Region_North_Island.html