“My underlying concern has been simply to live intelligently; to learn from whatever occurs, to be open to experimentation and exploration and in a way which is not bound by a conclusion.”
Dan Hansen [co-founder]
1000+
Students in the last 5 years
500kg
Organic produce grown
73,000,000
Food miles saved
Permaculture
Permaculture is an agricultural system implementing sustainable land growing practices. We observe natural patterns and relationships of the land. We provide a harmonious integration of human dwellings, plants, animals, soil, and water in a productive, stable and sustainable way.
Our food production systems use permaculture principles, consciously positioning every tree, plant, flower, and structure, to assist natures natural flow. Through this conscious ecological design, we aim for zero-waste, closed-loop sustainable systems as observed in natural ecosystems.
Bush Regeneration
Wilderland covers 64 hectares of land (that's 158 acres!), 80% of which is native bush. We are dedicated to the regeneration of native New Zealand bush and forest ecology. Following the devastating bush fire in 2017, we have planted nearly 4000 new trees to recover our lost native bush.
Organic Growing
The use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides is causing significant issues for our global environment. We do not use pesticides, herbicides, or sprays in our growing, we allow predators to perform the functions of pesticides and use plants such as Comfrey to provide much needed nutrients to our growing veggies.
The fires in 2017 means that many of our gardens are still young. However, we pride ourselves on our ability to feed volunteers with food produced from the land, selling any excess produce to the local community through our roadside shop and local markets.
We welcome experienced gardeners keen to share and evolve their skills. Click here for more information about our current volunteer vacancies.
Renewable Energy
We are working towards becoming 100% renewables powered and are primarily built using recycled materials. Volunteer accommodation is powered using solar energy, we use wood from the land to fuel our kitchen oven, and link that heat to the boiler for hot water.
We welcome thinkers and inventors needing a space to experiment and share their skills. If you have a burning idea tackling issues like sustainable building, waste, or climate change, head to our Visit page.
