Natureland Zoo Natureland needs new owners!

kiwipo · 27 Jun 2012

Chlidonias said: ↑

I can't remember staff numbers when I was there, but I would expect one full time shop/reception and one part-time, three or four keepers (three minimum) and the manager who may also be a keeper. I would suggest the two new staff would be the educators.

Orana had them modify the enclosure and sent them the porcupine which they needed to off-load.
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Are the Educators paid for by the Zoo? I think Zoo educators are paid for by the Education Dept aren't they?

I believe one of Orana's porcupines died recently, leaving them with one, so they would now have room for another.

Likewise most of the remaining animals could probably be rehomed at Orana, they seem to have a few spare enclosures which could be adapted without a lot of trouble.

Chlidonias · 27 Jun 2012

Natureland's future still in the balance | Stuff.co.nz

27 June 2012

Natureland's future remains uncertain after the city council said it will try to find another operator for the beleaguered zoo, or find an alternative use for the site.

Councillors yesterday also discussed closing Natureland on the Tahunanui Reserve, but councillors were reminded of the public backlash when they tried to do so in 2008.

The zoo's future has once more been thrown in doubt after the announcement the Christchurch-based Orana Wildlife Trust will withdraw this year from operating Natureland. Orana chief executive Lynn Anderson said in June last year the parent company which runs Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch was struggling to survive the aftermath of the Canterbury earthquakes.

Orana took over Natureland in 2008 after a call for expressions of interest to run the animal park when the trust that ran it previously pulled out over finances.

The council yesterday also discussed running the facility which was built by Jaycees volunteers in 1964 and handed over to Nelson City Council in 1967.

Mayor Aldo Miccio said the best option at the moment was to try to find a new operator but if no-one came forward the council would have to consider the other options.

A working group of councillors Ali Boswijk, Ian Barker, Rachel Reese, Pete Rainey and Mr Miccio has been formed to consider expressions of interest to be advertised around New Zealand.

The group will make recommendations and report back to the council on possible future options by the end of November.

An earlier suggestion to include the Tahunanui Business Association in the working group was turned down by councillors. It had been suggested the association be invited to nominate a member to help the group.

Business association chairman Mike Thomas told the Nelson Mail yesterday this was disappointing because the association would have liked to take part.

Association spokesman John Gilbertson said it was concerned about the reserve and the council's plans for it. There was a desire to "work something out". He hoped the "two or three" other parties which forwarded expressions of interest in Natureland last time might come forward again.

Mr Rainey said he fully supported the association being able to contribute ideas.
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Chlidonias · 27 Jun 2012

kiwipo said:

Are the Educators paid for by the Zoo? I think Zoo educators are paid for by the Education Dept aren't they?
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part paid by the Education Department and part paid by the zoo, as far as I know.

Chlidonias · 3 Aug 2012

Interest in Natureland - nelson-mail | Stuff.co.nz

25 July 2012

Interest in taking over Nelson's ailing zoo is beyond expectations and is a positive sign that it can be saved, says Nelson Mayor and Natureland working group member Aldo Miccio.

The small Tahunanui zoo's future was placed in doubt when the trust that runs it, Christchurch-based Orana Wildlife Trust, announced last month it was pulling out.

The parent company which runs Orana Wildlife Park in Christchurch has struggled to survive after the Canterbury earthquakes.

It is the second time in four years that Nelson City Council-owned Natureland has faced a crisis over its future.

Orana took over Natureland in 2008, after a call for expressions of interest to run the zoo when the trust that ran it pulled out.

The council said last month it would try to find another operator for the beleaguered zoo, or find an alternative use for the site.

Mr Miccio said at the time that the best option was to try to find a new operator, but if no-one came forward the council would have to consider the other options.

A working group of councillors Ali Boswijk, Ian Barker, Rachel Reese, Pete Rainey and Mr Miccio was formed to consider expressions of interest, to be advertised for around New Zealand.

Mr Miccio said yesterday that several expressions of interest had come forward, from Nelson and around the country. The process is open until November.

He said there was more interest than expected, so things were looking "very promising".

"My personal view is that there are some exciting opportunities for Natureland's ongoing viability in a fresh new way."

He said the working group would evaluate all expressions of interest and put forward a preferred option for Natureland to a future council meeting.

An earlier suggestion to include the Tahunanui Business Association in the working group was recently turned down by councillors. It had been suggested that the association be invited to nominate a member to help the group.

Association spokesman John Gilbertson said it was concerned about the reserve and the council's plans.

Association chairman Mike Thomas said yesterday the group was providing a supporting role for Natureland, and was happy to help where it could. The association was keen to see Natureland stay.

"We believe Natureland is important to Tahunanui, but we just want to support our members. Hopefully, the council can find a way to help out."
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Chlidonias · 27 Oct 2012

http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/7751303/Save-Natureland-poll

1 October 2012

A private survey of almost 400 Nelson families has found an overwhelming majority in favour of saving Natureland zoo in Tahunanui.

Nelson nurse Sharon Hawken and concerned citizen Estelle Courtney organised the survey through Nelson kindergartens and found 383 of the youngsters' parents who responded felt Natureland was worth saving. Seven were unsure and four did not think it worth saving.

The city council is seeking another operator for the beleaguered zoo, after its current operator Christchurch-based Orana Wildlife Trust, announced in June it was pulling out.

It is the second time in four years that Nelson City Council-owned Natureland has faced a crisis over its future.Orana took over Natureland in 2008, after a call for expressions of interest to run the zoo when the trust that ran it pulled out.

The survey found 272 of respondents visited Natureland and 122 did not, with cost being a major reason. A large number indicated they would visit Natureland more frequently if it was cheaper.

It costs $9 for an adult and $4.50 for a child to visit the zoo or $22.50 for family of two adults and two children.

Annual membership is $36 for adults and $22.50 per child (under-twos free) or $90 for family of two adults and two children.

Comments with the survey included it should be cheaper for children to visit, they would consider visiting if more animals were there, it would be better as more of a farm animal centre and that it was lovely for domestic animals but wild animals should not be in cages.

Others commented that the entry fee for adults should be dropped, because they visit with their children and not necessarily because they wanted to go.

Ms Hawken said a group of people including her son Cameron Hawken helped with the survey, which was handed to parents as they collected their children from kindergartens throughout Nelson. It was conducted over several weeks.

Ms Hawken said she would personally like to see Natureland stay open. It had been a part of her family for close to 20 years, and she was concerned that it was the last remaining place in Nelson city where urban children might get to interact with animals.

"Where do children get to see animals these days, particularly farm animals?

"It's a wonderful asset to Nelson and if we lose it we'll never get it back," she said.

City council capital projects manager Phil Hamblin said Natureland had attracted a fair amount of interest with 14 documents taken so far. The submissions process closes on October 8. Staff and the Natureland working group will assess the expressions of interest received on Natureland before reporting back to council with a preferred option before Christmas.
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zooboy28 · 4 Dec 2012

Natureland's Future to be revealed early 2013

Natureland decision due early next year | Stuff.co.nz

21 Nov 2012

The Nelson City Council is working with two parties interested in taking over Natureland at Tahunanui, with a final decision not expected until early next year.

In the meantime, the zoo would remain open as normal throughout the summer holiday period, council acting executive manager of community services Roger Ball said.

He said the council would be asking for more detail from two of the three parties that submitted expressions of interest in the future management of Natureland.

The Christchurch-based Orana Wildlife Trust, which has run Natureland since 2008, announced in June that it was pulling out as a result of hardship suffered in the wake of the Canterbury earthquakes.

It was the second time in four years that council-owned Natureland had faced a crisis over its future.

The council said in June it would try to find another operator for the beleaguered zoo, or find an alternative use for the site.

Because it is on council reserve land, use of the area has to meet the requirements of the Nelson Resource Management Plan.

There has been huge public opposition to plans in the past to close Natureland, which has about 400 animals.

Its annual running costs range between $400,000 to $500,000, funded by gate takings, the council and the Orana trust.

Mr Ball said the two parties interested in taking over Natureland had been asked to provide detailed proposals for the management of the facility by January 30.

"These will then be assessed, and the aim is to have an arrangement in place with a new operator within the first quarter of 2013."

Mr Ball said the Orana trust had confirmed it would continue to operate Natureland until then.
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zooboy28 · 4 Dec 2012

Two Parties in Takeover Talks

Natureland Zoo | Parties In Talks Over Takeover | Stuff.co.nz

29 Nov 2012

A St Arnaud farmer and the former owners of a farm park in Golden Bay are the two parties the Nelson City Council is talking to about taking over Natureland zoo in Tahunanui.

Richard Osmaston, who runs a 41-hectare organic farm at St Arnaud, aims to run Natureland as a public farmlet where animals would mostly roam freely and young people could connect with rural life.

He also plans to use his proposed model as a tool to promote sustainable management practices using volunteer efforts and public generosity, with entry to be by voluntary donation.

In a separate option, Matthew and Ruth Benge, the former owners of Bencarri Nature Park in Takaka, confirmed they have expressed an interest in Natureland but were yet to begin negotiations with the council.

The council called for expressions of interest to take over the Tahunanui zoo after Christchurch's Orana Wildlife Trust, which has run Natureland since 2008, announced in June it was pulling out as a result of hardship suffered in the wake of the earthquakes. It was the second time in four years that Natureland had faced a crisis over its future.

Public outrage at the council's plans in 2008 to close Natureland, which has been operating since the 1960s, prompted the Orana trust's involvement.

Mr Osmaston said his proposal would involve moving a regular supply of younger, smaller animals to Natureland from his farm and two others he helped stock and manage.

"It would open initially with piglets, chooks, goats, a dog or two, a horse and a pony.

"It's important to put the animals' safety and welfare before our entertainment and so the plan would be to continue to move them around between farms and Natureland as necessary."

Mr Osmaston, who was raised on a farm in England and who had a long career in aviation before moving to New Zealand with his family almost a decade ago, said the plan for Natureland was the extension of a system that has been in use for a long time.

"It is well proven and only utilises existing, reliable and non-challenging ‘guest animals', infrastructure and skills.

"Basically, some local farms would have some of their smaller and younger animals staying in Tahuna, where they would be accessible to everybody."

Mr Osmaston felt it was important that young children had the opportunity to connect with a rural environment.

The proposed model would rely largely on voluntary input, therefore, the cost burden on the council would be reduced significantly. Annual running costs to date have ranged from between $400,000 to $500,000 funded by gate takings, the council and the Orana trust.

"We [family] already have the resources to operate Natureland on a reduced scale. The more voluntary resources we have available, the bigger and better we shall be," Mr Osmaston said.

"It is our belief and experience that if there are no volunteers at all, then Nelson doesn't really want a Natureland anyway."

Costs could also be reduced through having basic farm animals only, meaning feeding requirements would be "hugely simplified". No animals would be caged, unless "absolutely necessary".

It now costs $9 for an adult and $4.50 for a child to visit the zoo, or $22.50 for a family of two adults and two children.

Mr Benge said he would prefer to comment on what they planned at a later date.

"We have looked at it before and believe it could be quite something, but there are principles to follow to make it viable."

He said New Zealand was "littered" with farm parks and he knew of only three that were self-funded. The remainder relied on charities and councils to help run them.

The council aims to have an arrangement in place with a new operator within the first quarter of 2013.
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I think I would prefer the zoo to at least retain its exotic animal component, which would mean I'm not particularly impressed with Mr Osmaston 'vision'. Thoughts?

FBBird · 4 Dec 2012

Natureland

Sounds pretty pointless to me. 'Come & see the ....horse'

zooboy28 · 6 Apr 2013

The Saga Continues

Nelson Council rejects two parties' plans to takeover the zoo, leaving it with little chance of remaining open.

Story here: Axe Hangs Over Nature Park Again | Stuff.co.nz

4/4/2013

Closing Natureland zoo is one of the few options left to the Nelson City Council after it has rejected the plans of the two parties willing to take it on.

The council has announced it has turned down the two proposals it received to take over the management of Natureland from the Orana Wildlife Trust.

Staff said neither option was viable. The council would now "explore other options" ranging from it taking over Natureland and running it, or closing it.

St Arnaud farmer Richard Osmaston and the former owners of Bencarri Farm Park in Golden Bay, Matthew and Ruth Benge, were the two parties in talks with the council.

Mr Osmaston said today he was sorry not to get the chance to be able to put his plan into action, and that he hoped Natureland would remain open.

He had aimed to run Natureland as a public farmlet where animals would mostly roam freely and young people could connect with rural life.

His proposal involved moving a regular supply of younger, smaller animals to Natureland from his farm and two others he helped stock and manage.

He also planned to use his proposed model as a tool to promote sustainable management practices using volunteer efforts and public generosity, with entry to be by donation.

Mr Osmaston today congratulated the council for having the vision to consider his proposal to run Natureland according to the principles he advocates of a moneyless, resource-based economy.

The proposed model would have relied largely on voluntary input, therefore, the cost burden on the council would be reduced significantly, he said.

Annual running costs to date have ranged from $400,000 to $500,000 funded by gate takings, the council and the Orana trust.

It costs $9 for an adult and $4.50 for a child to visit the zoo, or $22.50 for a family of two adults and two children.

The Benges could not be reached for comment, but said late last year they had looked at it before and believed it could be "quite something", but there were principles to follow to make it viable.

Mr Benge said New Zealand was "littered" with farm parks and he knew of only three that were self-funded.

The remainder relied on charities and councils to help run them.

The city council called for expressions of interest to take over the Tahunanui zoo after Christchurch's Orana Wildlife Trust, which has run Natureland since 2008, announced last June it was pulling out as a result of hardship suffered in the wake of the earthquakes.

It was the second time in four years that Natureland had faced a crisis over its future. It was built by Jaycees volunteers in 1964, and handed over to the council in 1967.

In 2008, Nelsonians marched in Trafalgar St with placards emblazoned Save Our Zoo when the council planned to close Natureland because then-operator Abel Tasman Gateway Trust was struggling financially.

The outrage prompted Orana's involvement and the council agreed in 2008 to provide the trust with the Natureland site in Tahunanui for 20 years for an annual rental of $10.

Nelson ratepayers contributed $200,000 in the first year, $175,000 in the second year, $150,000 in the third year, and were to contribute no less than that in following years.

Natureland operations manager Gail Sutton said today she and staff would "carry on as usual" until they heard otherwise.

She said Orana trust chief executive Lynn Anderson told them yesterday they would continue to support Natureland until a final outcome was known.

Mrs Sutton is planning to retire, but not until a decision on Natureland is made.

"I'm not prepared to abandon it. My plan always was to see this through."

The council said it would now be working with the Orana trust until a final decision was made.

Natureland staff, who are employed by the trust, and the welfare of the animals would be key considerations.

A report was to be presented to the council community services meeting on May 14.

Council funding to support Natureland is included in the draft Annual Plan 2013-14, which is currently out for public consultation.

Mayor Aldo Miccio said the council understood that many people enjoyed Natureland and it wanted to "do its best to find a lasting resolution for the community".
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zooboy28 · 28 Jun 2013

Getting a bit bored of this now...

New plan announced, sort of, for Natureland.

Story here: New plan to keep Natureland going | Stuff.co.nz

The backer of some of Nelson's biggest civic projects has hinted at an "exceptional new proposal" for Natureland, and has urged the Nelson City Council to take it on board.

Nelson man Brian Mills, who was part of the service group that helped to build the Tahunanui zoo in the 1960s, said the council was considering a new proposal based on a model he had advocated earlier.

During the public forum of a council meeting yesterday, Mr Mills suggested that the proposal was a two-pronged approach from a party skilled and experienced in management and leadership, and a charitable trust structure with "widespread community and business engagement skills", which extended to acumen in fundraising and securing sponsorship.

He said outside the meeting he could not reveal any more about what was proposed.

The council held talks on Natureland in the public-excluded section of yesterday's meeting, and plans to release its decision within the next few days.

Waimea Intermediate pupils Finn Thomas and Sophie Tasker also spoke yesterday in support of Natureland.

Finn read out a self-penned essay in which he described Natureland as a place he once thought of as being where "little kids gawked at sad animals", but his opinion had changed dramatically after a school trip. "I realise it's a place that passionately cares for animals and a place Nelson needs."

Public support is growing for Natureland, which has been the subject of debate over the past six years, after the newly elected council revealed in early 2008 that it planned to close the small zoo.

The decision was swayed by the operator at the time, the Abel Tasman Gateway Trust, announcing that it had run into financial difficulties and could not continue.

The Christchurch-based Orana Wildlife Trust took over but also ran into financial strife, as a result of the Canterbury earthquakes, and announced last year it was pulling out of running the zoo, which is on reserve land.

The council then called for expressions of interest, and shortlisted two options from three submitted, but declined both.

Mr Mills said his submission was based on a suggestion and was the third of the three options presented. It was centred on a "strongly structured market-focused trust with widespread community engagement and sponsorship". A "strongly qualified operator" was required within that structure.

He said the new proposal would require the same level of council support as in the past, but there was potential for community "gifting" and growth in sponsorship, which could reduce the amount of the council grants.

The council's community services co-portfolio holder, Councillor Pete Rainey, said the council had invested $1.3 million in Natureland in operating and capital expenditure since 2008.

Mr Mills said Natureland was "professionally well-connected" and had Department of Conservation permits for the New Zealand native species it held. It was "highly valued" by DOC for the rehabilitation work it did with injured wildlife, and also had partnerships with the SPCA, as a rescue centre for native birds and seabirds, and Ngati Koata, for programmes with tuatara.

Supporter Estelle Courtney, who also spoke at yesterday's public forum, described Natureland as an "icon treasured beyond my expectations".

Jo Dippie suggested that the entry prices were too steep and family membership structures too prescriptive. She suggested ways where value could be added to the experience of going to Natureland.

Mr Mills said the Tahunanui Business Association fully supported the current proposal before the council.

Administration officer John Gilbertson told the Nelson Mail the association believed it was a good step. "These people have put together a comprehensive proposal which involves upping animal care. We believe Natureland should continue."
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