Ma tini, ma mano, ka rapa te whai.
BY MANY, BY THOUSANDS, THE WORK WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED.
Suzan Craig
Our Guardian
The people of Tahi call our founder, Suzan Craig, our guardian, as she has chosen to care for this special place and bring it back to life. A founding member of The Long Run Global Ecosphere Retreats, Suzan has a deep-rooted connection to this place – and is not afraid to do the hard mahi (work) to bring our sustainable philosophy to life.
Suzan has a respect for nature and a deep understanding of its fragility that has been nurtured since childhood. Her father is Professor John Craig (ONZM), widely recognised as one of New Zealand’s conservation experts, who has helped inform and guide Suzan’s drive for doing what is right. Beekeeping has also been in Suzan’s family for generations: since her great-uncles began one of New Zealand’s first beekeeping companies, circa 1888!
Today, Tahi is a restored, biodiversity-positive nature sanctuary, a self-sustaining business where nature can benefit everyone. By harnessing The Long Run’s 4Cs – conservation, culture, community and commerce – into every decision we make, Suzan is guiding the way for positive-impact land management.
Our Team
Suzan’s vision of restoring Tahi to a nature and wetland sanctuary and ecological retreat has also helped to enhance our community. From just one employee on the land when we began, Tahi now has up to 50 staff during busy seasons – looking after our bees, collecting our honey, running our cafe and bee education centre, planting trees, restoring our wetlands and caring for the land in every way.
For all of us, working at Tahi is more than a job: it’s a calling. Everyone here is passionate about the big picture and we know that pulling together as a team, we can achieve amazing things – for our land, our community and for nature too. Tahi’s restoration work is led by Neil Mitchell, while Suzan’s father, Professor John Craig, consults on all things conservation.
DR NEIL MITCHELL
Dr Neil Mitchell (MA, MSc, PhD) was a lecturer and researcher at the University of Auckland, now an independent consultant ecologist. He specialises in understanding the ecosystems of northern New Zealand, together with their protection and restoration. Neil has a particular expertise in the restoration of plant systems to create suitable habitat for birdlife, one example being the Tiritiri Matangi Open Sanctuary, north of Auckland.
PROFESSOR JOHN CRAIG
Professor John Craig (ONZM, PhD, BSc) is a past professor of Environmental Management and Deputy Dean of Science at the University of Auckland. He is now a director of Green Inc Ltd, an environmental consultancy, and Chair of the Kiwi Coast Trust. With many awards for environmental achievement to his name, he was co-designer of Tiritiri Matangi Open Sanctuary, and is actively involved in many other conservation projects, including the place he calls home, Tahi.
DR ANNE STEWART
Dr Anne Stewart (BSc, MSc, PhD, MBA) is a former Regional scientist for the Department of Conservation and former Director of the MBA and Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Auckland. Anne is a Director of Green Inc Ltd. She has a special interest in pollination ecology and its role in restoring functioning ecosystems. She has been actively involved in the restoration of Tahi since its inception.
Learn More About Our Story:
At one with nature.
