During the 1880s, logging operations took place in the Homedale area, the oldest part of Wainuiomata. The Water Board stepped in, obtaining land to prevent further deforestation in Sinclair Valley, and officially marking the area as a water catchment.
Today, the forest remains in its pristine, original state with minimal human impact. Leveraging this unique condition, there are plans for a proposed sanctuary, akin to Zealandia, but on a much larger scale. The area is located around Mt Puketahā, so the reserve would likely be called Puketahā Sanctuary.
The organisers of this plan are currently seeking funding from the government. This would be a huge boost for both native flora and fauna, as well as the Wainuiomata economy.
If the plan is successful, the sanctuary could be repeated all over the country to create de-extinction zones, where endangered fauna could thrive on the main islands of New Zealand amongst their natural habitat.
