The project started life in 2021 when Angus purchased an excessively steep 135ha site comprising mainly naturally regenerating farmland on the eastern slopes of the Takaka valley. Most of the property was over 40 degree slopes and with very difficult access. It was only suitable for carbon sequestration, but most had started regenerating before 1990 so only 42ha was eligible for registration in the ETS.

Late in 2022 the neighbouring property to the rear became available so Angus managed to purchase this primarily for access into the top of the original piece. This additional land was very different; being much flatter and almost entirely covered in recovering beech forest. It was recovering from native logging during the 1970’s which had stripped out most of the podocarps and largest red beech trees. The recovery of this area after logging is spectacular, with regenerating beech trees now re-filling the canopy, and good numbers of sapling podocarps appearing.

While it wasn’t their original plan, with the purchase of the second piece Angus now has over 210ha of forest bordering on East Takaka Scenic Reserve, which in turn connects with the Abel Tasman National Park. The property will provide protection of a fantastic corridor of native forest from the Canaan Downs area right down to the bottom of their property at just 100m above sea level.