Tākaka Hill Forest

A 30 year, community led initiative protecting a forest in a nationally significant limestone landscape on Tākaka Hill.

Currently in the pipeline and not yet issuing credits.

Project Idea Note
Project Description
Validation
Verification & Credit Issuance

Tākaka Hill’s forest is small but significant: 4.5 hectares of QEII covenanted indigenous forest within a nationally significant limestone karst landscape, home to the entrances to Summit Cave and Summit Stream Cave. Its connection to the Riwaka Resurgence shows why the whole ecosystem needs protecting.

The Tākaka Hill Karst Forest Sanctuary Project is led by the Tākaka Hill Biodiversity Group Trust and the Harwood Family Trust.

The project is built on long term stewardship. Biodiversity recovery takes ongoing pest control, monitoring, research, community involvement and adaptive management over many years.

By combining grants, philanthropy, partnerships and biodiversity finance, the project aims to show a sustainable model for community led conservation that delivers lasting benefits for future generations.

Project Idea Note (PIN)

Tākaka Hill Forest Sanctuary Project. PDF, July 2026.

Download PIN (PDF)

Location

Located in Takaka on New Zealand’s South Island.

What Is Being Protected

Tākaka Hill’s karst landscape is home to some of New Zealand’s most unusual wildlife.

    30 years
    of community led conservation
  
    4.5 ha
    of QEII covenanted indigenous forest
  
    2
    cave entrances in the sanctuary, Summit Cave and Summit Stream Cave

Above ground
The Nelson green gecko (Naultinus stellatus), listed as Nationally Vulnerable, has been found on private land bordering Kahurangi National Park. The giant land snail Powelliphanta hochstetteri also lives on the hill, where wild pigs threaten it by disturbing the soil and destroying native plants.

Beneath the surface
The hill’s caves shelter cave adapted invertebrates, including newly discovered species of mite harvester and spider found through the Cave Fauna Project. Native fungi recycle nutrients through the forest floor.

Protecting the habitat
Controlling pigs, goats and feral cats helps protect the habitat all of these species depend on.