Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, viewing tower
Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust lost $500,000 – most of it in depreciation – in the financial year to June 30.
Sanctuary Mountain – Maungatautari.
The operator of the world’s largest predator proof fence of 3363 hectares around Mt Maungatautari reported a $547,976 deficit compared to a $155,312 profit the previous year.
Chief executive Helen Hughes told The News around $300,000 of the deficit was depreciation. The operation costs $5000 a day to run. Funding and grants dropped from $2.381 million in 2023 to $1.286 million.
The loss of a contestable Department of Conservation Community Fund cost the trust $300,000 and other sources of funding dried up in the worsening economic climate.
Helen Hughes
The trust to cut seven of its 13 mountain rangers in the last year.
“We, like many other not-for-profits nationwide, have faced critical funding shortages,” said Hughes in the organisation’s annual report.
Hughes, who joined the organisation in October 2023, is the third chief executive in two years.
“The transition of three CEOs in two years has resulted in a reduction in proactively chasing funding, and it’s clear that our commercial ecosystem has been under immense pressure,” she said.
Donations also took a dive, from $320,947 to $179,238, interest revenue from $11,462 to $3409, and other income from $955 to $2.
However, revenue from providing goods and services almost doubled from $353,608 to $642,821.
The trust is focussing on earning revenue through five funding pillars: tourism, education, science and research, donations, and biodiversity credits.
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari. Photo: Hamilton and Waikato Tourism.
Highlighting the mahi
- 20,145 visitors in 2023-2024
- 10 kākāpō released onto Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari
- 222 western Brown Kiwi were translocated out of Sanctuary
- 222 kiwi health checks
- Planted over 400 trees around the visitor centre, wetland, and wetland restoration area
- 95 people participated in Rongoā Rākau tours
- 130 wetland grasses and sedges planted
- $75,000 raised at the Mauri of the Maunga Gala Dinner and Auction
- Placing, retrieving, and reading approximately 15,000 pest tracking cards
- 4207 school students participating in education programmes
- 38% increase in retail sales in the visitor centre
- Staff attended 108 fence breach callouts
- 14,899 volunteer hours supporting staff with day-to-day activities
