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Project Janszoon has concluded its 14-year restoration programme in Abel Tasman National Park, handing responsibility for its conservation gains to the Department of Conservation, mana whenua and the local community.
Launched in 2012 as New Zealand’s first large-scale conservation partnership, the project invested more than $21 million to restore the park’s biodiversity through pest and weed control, native species restoration, education and community engagement.
Working alongside DOC, Abel Tasman Birdsong Trust, mana whenua and volunteers, the project has seen the return of species including kākā, whio, pāteke and robin, while native forest regeneration has also improved.
Project Janszoon officially ended on June 30, 2026, with DOC and NEXT Foundation signing the Tomorrow Accord, committing to maintain the biodiversity gains achieved during the programme.
DOC director-general Penny Nelson says the department will continue the work alongside iwi, landowners and the community.
“We will honour the legacy that Project Janszoon has built, and we will do that alongside iwi, landowners, communities and other partners who care deeply about this place,” Penny says.
NEXT Foundation chief executive Andrew Grant says the project’s conservation model has influenced similar initiatives elsewhere in New Zealand.
