Papa Taiao Earthcare grew out of these words: "We don't expect them to pass anything just make sure they don't burn the school down." Shocked by his Principal's comment Marty asked if he could take the students out of school. "Nobody objected so we set up a stoat trapping line to protect an endangered bird called the Weweia." And every student in his class gained NCEA.

Marty left teaching for a role with Auckland University's Team Solutions as an Education for Sustainability facilitator. At the same time he continued his interest in ecological restoration and managed a rat control programme at Atuanui/Mt Auckland for Forest and Bird.

Claire has over 8 years experience coordinating and managing people. She brings lots of enthusiasm to Papa Taiao, returning to work after raising her young family.

Sometimes, you may see her on an online meeting with a lamb on her knee, as her real passion lies in establishing a small permaculture farm where she grows almost 100% of her whanau’s kai. Her love for biodiversity and contributing to the health of ecosystems has meant overseeing the planting of over 4000 native plants in tandem with her food growing.

Miriam grew up in the Golden Bay. “I loved the environment but there was no way for me to participate in environmental projects. All that was open to me was drinking and getting into trouble.”

After traveling with, and cleaning up after, the European music festival circuit she returned to New Zealand to study environmental science and dedicate herself to education around waste reduction.

Kirsty has a bit of a different background to many of the Papa Taiao crew. She has years of experience in the corporate and start up world. She has turned her attention to supporting the coordination of Papa Taiao in Te Tai Tokerau using her skills and passion for mental health and the natural world, especially the moana, to provide awesome opportunities for our ākonga. She is a PADI Mermaid Instructor, avid Freediver and Spearfisher, and loves to cook after starring on MasterChef New Zealand. 

Rosa has a passion for young people. While working for Greymouth High School between 2014-2020, she worked hard to meet the needs of students at the school. Her varying roles during her time at Greymouth High School enabled her to develop an array of skills which she continued to develop in her most recent role as Head of Department of Health, Physical Education and Outdoor Education. Rosa thrived on opportunities to show leadership and support staff and students alike. She understood the importance of engaging not only with students and other staff but also with whanau and the wider learning community.

Just as you can not learn kaitiaki from a book you can not learn to surf from a book. Being a kaitiaki and a surfer connects you to the Earth. Good surfers use all their senses to learn. Renē is a good surfer and he, like most of us, learns best when we do something - this is his style of teaching.

Rene’s strong connection to the earth through surfing and growing up in the naturally stunning Coromandel peninsula, coupled with a curious nature led him to study Environmental Science. ‘Eco apathy’ struck him through. It wasn’t until he started coordinating a citizen science project restoring water quality in a local awa that he realised the value of taking personal action. Witnessing the community building from working toward a common good was empowering and soothed anxiety.

Lara moved to the West Coast to be in the outdoors as an Outdoor Ed teacher.

While teaching she noticed students who excel in practical learning experiences were struggling in traditional education where written literacy is the main form of assessment. These students were good at developing solutions to real-world problems through experiential, problem-based learning but did not excel in the written component. Passionate about curriculum Lara resolved to make a change to her delivery and assessment styles to lift the outcomes for her students.

Sleeping on the sand in his boardbag to surf the morning waves, catching breakfast then beach cleans epitomised Duncan’s love for the outdoors through these years. Eventually landing in Raglan age 23 he began trapping for local community group The Karioi Project as a contrast to his job as a surfboard manufacturer. As the Project grew Duncan jumped at a chance to work in nature, especially after learning of the damage done to Aotearoa’s unique and fragile ecosystem in such a small amount of time post colonisation.

Born and raised in the picturesque Bay of Islands, Callum has formed an intimate relationship with the environment. Callum's background is in guiding adventure tourism. He is an avid surfer and this year he is training to lead the Māwhra Papa Taiao Conservation and Earthcare courses with his passionate and empathetic nature.

Ko Tainui te waka

Ko Waikato te awa

He uri au o Ngāti Wairere, Ko Ngāti Maniapoto, Ko Ngāti Raukawa, Ko Ngā Puhi hoki

I whānau mai au i raro ia Pukemokemoke te maunga

Ko Tauhei tōku marae

Ko Maramatutahi te wharenui

I tupu ake au ki te whenua o Mōrenawhira

Nō Titahi bay au e noho ana

Ko Wairere Pene tōku ingoa

Rosa is gardener, educator, and kai sovereignty networker, based in Otaki on the Kapiti coast. Rosa discovered the joy of gardening through volunteering on organic growing projects around the motu, and has found growing and sharing kai an effective means to connect with people and place in Aotearoa, and around the world. 

Joelene Busby-Cole is obsessed with all things Waka and has been active in the field of Waka Kaupapa since childhood, gaining knowledge passed down from her great grand uncle Sir Hector Busby KNZM MBE, (also known as Heke-nuku-mai-nga-iwi Puhipi ) a Māori navigator and traditional waka builder in New Zealand and a leading figure in the revival of traditional Polynesian navigation and ocean voyaging using wayfinding techniques.

Rachel moved to Hokitika a few years ago after working as a secondary school teacher in Tāmaki Makaurau for several years. She was a volunteer on Tiritiri Matangi island which inspired her to pursue a career in environmental education. She has most recently worked in advocacy and engagement for the Department of Conservation, collaborating with local schools and the community to learn about, and protect, the beautiful Tai Poutini.

Brian has a history in the corporate world. After living and working an international lifestyle, he settled in Aotearoa where he is building deep connections with the neighboring forest, local community and te ao Māori.

His love of Wellington comes from a love of wind. He is a kiteboarding addict and in 2001 was one of four people on the water kiteboarding and was the first with a friend to complete a return crossing of the Cook Strait / Te Moana o Raukawa by kite and on a hydrofoil in 2021. He runs a business called White Cloud, the only dedicated kite and winging shop in Pōneke.

John’s passion for bees is infectious. Ākonga working with him, can’t help but get sucked into the mesmerizing depth of their busy hive world. He is Wellington City Council’s bee go-to man and is called on regularly to support people with swarms in their walls and roofs. He not only teaches Papa Taiao ākonga, he also trains hobbyists via his role in The Wellington Beekeeping Association. He has been instrumental in setting up the Club’s own apiary site, hives at Zealandia and Wellington Zoo and has assisted Wellington City Council in drafting their guidelines for beekeeping on public land.

Karen has worked extensively with Kura Kaupapa Māori, Wharekura, Kura Reo, Puna Reo and Early Childhood Education centres in Te Tairawhiti for the past 20 years. In 2001, Karen was appointed as the Maths advisers for Te Tairawhiti. The following year she was appointed as the National Coordinator for Pangarau. Her key responsibilities were to develop a National Pangarau facilitator team and develop teaching and learning resources.

Glen is a vastly experienced conservation professional.

He recently resigned from the Department of Conservation where he was the Regional Planning Manager for the Northern North Island.

His Primary focus has been threats to biodiversity. The threats Glen has experience managing include weeds, animal pests (deer, goats, pigs, possums, rats wasps and ants), fire and fencing.

Glen's work has included biodiversity restoration on islands and the mainland.He has led programmes in weed control, rat eradication, 'Judas Pig' research, possum monitoring and toxin residue monitoring.