Charmaine Petereit

Charmaine Petereit is a passionate environmentalist and community leader, and the driving force behind the Tākaka Hill Biodiversity Group Trust.

Originally from rural Auckland, Charmaine and her husband Norman settled on Tākaka Hill in 2016, drawn by its remarkable landscapes and ecosystems. With a background in environmental science, education for sustainability, and social anthropology, she quickly became involved in local conservation efforts — first through volunteering with the Cobb Valley Friends of Cobb trapping programme, and later co-founding the Tākaka Hill Biodiversity Group Trust with Wendy Henderson in 2018.

Charmaine’s leadership was key in guiding the Trust from its early beginnings to becoming a formal organisation in 2020. She initially served as chairperson before stepping into her current operations role, which allowed landowners to take up trustee positions and strengthen the group’s community foundation.

As project manager, Charmaine oversees conservation initiatives across more than 7,000 hectares of private and public land. Her expertise in project management and her ability to foster strong relationships with landowners and the wider community continue to drive the Trust’s success.

Charmaine’s commitment to environmental stewardship and her dedication to the people of Tākaka Hill make her an invaluable part of the Trust and a true champion for the region’s biodiversity.

What is your favourite native bird, and why?

“The Ruru. I’m fascinated by their nighttime call, which I find incredibly soothing. It’s a reminder of the vibrant Tākaka Hill forests at night, and I hope it sparks a similar sense of wonder in our visitors.”