About Us

View of the lower Waikato (Te Puuaha)

Photographer: C van Schravendijk-Goodman, Image © Swampfrog

Our Story

A whānau business ready to consult on all your environmental needs. Dan & Cheri are Waikato based with years of experience in arboriculture, restoration, biosecurity, tree evaluation, gardening design, environmental research and policy.

Cheri collecting tutu samples from Te Urewera for collaborative Tangata Whenua and Lincoln University research into tutin (2012) Photographer: H. Pacey, Image © H. Pacey

ABOUT OUR NAME and LOGO:

The name “Swampfrog” is inspired by our passion for wetlands, whakapapa and our native species.

Our Repo/Wetlands

Represented through the harakeke and peat moss at the feet of the frog. Narratives about the harakeke point to its relationship to our Atua, including important Atua Wahine like Hine-i-te-Repo (goddess of the swamp) and it is through them that we learn the rhythms of the environment and best ways to interact with it.

Our Whakapapa

Represented by the fan of the harakeke (Phormium tenax). Harakeke were an important resource utilised by our tūpuna, including our Pākehā ancestors who recognised its durability and toughness for rope building.

Our Valued Native Species

The frog in our logo is based on the highly endangered Archey’s frog (Leiopelma archeyi) which was once found across the Waikato. They are not swamp dwellers, preferring the moister areas of our native forests. We love frogs not only because they are rather handsome little things, but because they also represent the role our frogs can play globally as important indicators of broader environmental health.

Values

Values

Aroha

Care and respect for ourselves and our whaanau; our Swampfrog team members; our clients and collaborators; and our natural environment

Tika

Ensuring our mahi is undertaken in the right way with the best available information, best practice and the best skill sets to underpin and support our values

Pono

Always striving to maintain clear, honest and open communication with each other, our clients and collaborators ensuring that we maintain the integrity of each other, the business of Swampfrog; and most importantly, the integrity of the natural environments that we work within

Our team

Cheri van Schravendijk-Goodman

Co-Director, researcher, administrator
Te Atihaunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Rangi, Dutch

Mother of 3, passionate about the environment especially our native birds, repo/wetlands and our Rivers. Cheri does the landscape design, leads planting projects for the team, and advice on restoration projects. She also manages the admin and H & S; and co-leads research projects and contracts with Rangi Mahuta. Cheri loves whiteboard sessions.

Dan

Co-Director
Ngāti Pākehā

Father of 5, hubby to Cheri, and passionate about working with trees. He is a qualified arborist with over 10+ years of climbing experience in the industry. He has recently broadened his skill set to include native wetland and bush restoration, and garden maintenance. He is also a bit of a handy man and is known to pick up a hammer, or drive a digger where required by our clients. Dan also supports the Arb tutoring team at WINTEC on a casual basis.

Who we are

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The Waikato River (near Arapuni) Photographer: C van Schravendijk-Goodman, Image © Swampfrog

WHat our clients say