When your family has lived and worked on the same land for over a century, a quiet but enduring responsibility takes root. At Davaar, we see ourselves not as owners, but as guardians — just one generation in a long line entrusted with the care of this place.

True stewardship doesn’t stop at the farm gate. Our commitment to conservation stretches beyond the fences of Davaar Station, into the wild places that surround us like Fiordland, Te Wahipounamu — one of the most dramatic and untouched landscapes in the world. The road to Milford Sound runs right past our home, so it’s not just scenery to us, it’s part of who we are.

Among these peaks and valleys roam Wapiti deer — majestic but introduced, thriving at the expense of our fragile native ecosystems. For New Zealand’s forests, birds and flora, their presence is a constant challenge.

That’s why we’re inspired by the work of WithWild. Formed by a collective of chefs and food thinkers, WithWild is more than a culinary idea, it’s a conservation enterprise. By sourcing wild ingredients thoughtfully and respectfully, they aim to reduce the impact of introduced species while protecting indigenous flora, fauna and the precious ecosystems that sustain our indigenous birdlife. 

Their approach is circular and deeply considered. They champion wild ingredients, highlight where our food comes from and redirect value back into restoration efforts — protecting indigenous flora, fauna and the ecosystems our native birdlife depends on. It’s a model that respects both the wild and the people who work in it.

This vision speaks directly to our values. At Davaar, environmental responsibility has always been part of who we are as we work with nature rather than against it, looking after what we’ve been given so it can endure for generations to come.
Partnering with WithWild allows us to support a future where land, animals and people exist in better balance.

To celebrate this alignment, we gathered a group of like-minded people for a dinner at Cazador Restaurant in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. It was an opportunity to experience WithWild’s work first-hand. To taste the care, intention and respect that sits behind their efforts. Sharing that meal together brought the purpose of this partnership to life, a reminder of how innovation and conservation can come together to create outcomes that can reach far beyond the native bush and can be as simple as gathering at a dining table to break bread.

Over the next year we’ll be looking at ways Davaar can contribute to and share the work of this generous collective doing something important for our place.
Learn more about WithWild at withwild.co.nz Find the team @withwild_