GUARDIANS OF TĀWHARANUI - TOSSI
While Tāwharanui may have a complex history, the story of Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary Society Inc. (TOSSI) begins with a clear moment of vision and action.
Words Lyn Hamilton-Hunter
In 2002, operational plans for Tāwharanui Regional Park included the constructIon of a predator fence - a goal that required significant fundraising efforts and led to the establishment of the Incorporated Society with its inaugural meeting held in the woolshed. TOSSI became the official volunteer body tasked with acquiring the necessary funds for the fence.
The broader vision was to create the first sanctuary combining conservation, recreation, and farming, while returning native wildlife to a protected environment where their presence could once again be seen and heard.
By 2004, the predator fence was completed. With the area secured, attention turned to habitat creation, and large-scale planting efforts began in earnest in 2005. In 2007, TOSSI opened its plant nursery that, over the following two decades, would nurture more than 300,000 plants that have been used in the restoration of wetlands, dunes, and native forests.
Wildlife soon began to return. Kiwi were translocated to the sanctuary in 2006 and 2007, with the first chicks hatching by 2009, and today the kiwi population is plentiful. Other species reintroduced into the sanctuary include the North Island robin (toutouwai), whitehead (pōpokotea), brown teal (pāteke), kākāriki, geckos, takahē, giant kōkopu, saddleback (tīeke), and wētāpunga. Several species, such as the bellbird and kākā, naturally found their way to the sanctuary. Seabirds including the grey-faced petrel, fluttering shearwaters, and little penguin have also been successfully breeding at Tāwharanui.
Visitors to Tāwharanui can walk through these revitalised habitats and experience the sights and sounds of Aotearoa’s unique and endemic species. The park's ecology bush feels like a journey back in time, offering a glimpse of the land before it was stripped for farming or timber. TOSSI volunteers play a vital role, growing and planting trees, weeding, checking plant growth, and infilling gaps in the bush. Monitoring of wildlife is ongoing, with efforts such as kiwi call counts, takahē feeding, seabird breeding checks, dotterel monitoring, and pāteke counts. This work contributes valuable data to a national network focused on understanding what enables native species to thrive and what leads to their decline.
TOSSI’s next major project is the restoration of a wetland area to the east of the lagoon, along the main road to Anchor Bay. While plans are already in place, fundraising is now the focus with donations to support this important work vital to its success.
TOSSI also provides an education and awareness programme focussed on wildlife and pest control, with the current chairperson, Sally Richardson, highlighting this as a key priority for the future. “We need to get young people inspired; our ancestors unwittingly made a lot of mistakes, and it is up to us and the next generations to stop any more extinctions,” she says. In 2018, TOSSI raised funds to develop an education trailer, a major success in supporting this outreach and raising public awareness.
With its unwavering commitment to conservation, education, and community engagement, TOSSI is an essential force in safeguarding Tāwharanui’s rich biodiversity for future generations. There are many opportunities to volunteer through nursery care, wildlife monitoring, trapping, mending, weeding, and committee roles. During winter, community members are also encouraged to join planting days, which start at 9am and finish at 12.30pm. Upcoming scheduled planting days include Sunday 1 June, Sunday 6 July, and Sunday 3 August. Get involved and experience the deep satisfaction of giving back to nature.
www.TOSSI.org.nz | secretary@TOSSI.org.nz