These words I write won’t do justice but those of you who met Jon and spent time with him will understand how much an influence he had on our lives. I went to Earthwise with an open mind not knowing really what I was letting myself in for, but found a whole lot more than I was expecting.

To me Jon was not only a friend but a great teacher, the greatest thing I took away with me after Earthwise was how to appreciate the simplist of things, things I would normally take for granted or not give a second thought and how to embrace life doing the things you love.

It saddens me that the great plans and ideas that Jon had for the land that he fought so hard for will not be seen through. Even a volunteer at the early stages of this project and I’m sure all the other volunteers who had the pleasure of working there were curious to see how the land would have developed through several years of Jons love with the help of fellow enthusiasts.

In short to sum up my time with Jon would simply be…
…Life changing

Jon although you are gone the memories will stay forever

The Coromandel, wider New Zealand, and all those your life touched are dimmed by your passing. Well met my friend.

I really appreciate what you taught me about NZ ecology and sustainable living; it helped me to soon feel more at home in NZ than in my country of birth. I have very fond memories of hours spent stomping through or sitting quietly in the forest while soaking it all up or discussing alternative ways of living to step more lightly on this planet.

Another one of your outstanding characteristics was your playfulness and humor. You simply were a monkey who couldn’t stop to play, cheat and be silly. You could bring even rather serious people to forget about their good education and well-behaved, grown-up manners to join in general silliness and craziness. I had a look of the old photos from “Back in the days” and the memories of those hilarious occasions and games made me laugh like I hadn’t in a long time. From this perspective, the Tararu Valley Project was a wonderful retreat from our serious world full of duties and social pressures –although it certainly wasn’t free of those either! I learned a lot about being tolerant towards all kinds of people. I would not want to miss those difficult and hard, but also so very rich years and will always treasure these memories.

I loved your physical strength, too. The way you would pick up people, wardrobes or small tree logs and throw those on your shoulder to walk off with them somewhere always impressed me. You could work incredibly hard.

Everyone who knew you would have noticed sooner or later how difficult you could be. Still, I like to think that most people really got something out of meeting you. You were a unique character that probably no one will ever forget; I know that you inspired many people and changed their view of the world, not only through your ideas of sustainable living, but also through various concepts of spirituality and body work you would frequently talk about. This is certainly true for me.

I am grateful to have known you well and to have walked a section of your life path with you.
I will miss you as a special friend and someone who was always able to pull me out of a dark mood and to put a smile – sometimes even a full-blown roaring laughter- back on my face just by talking to me on the phone. I wish I could have done this for you when you most needed it, too.
I wish you peace, Jon.

Jon’s enthusiasm and almost superhuman work ethic in the face of what always seemed like insurmountable odds was an inspiration. In the four years that I knew Jon I was always happy to offer what help I could because I knew that he had a greater plan and vision in mind.

I’m glad that the native forest at Tararu which is now under a covenant (http://www.littlegreenpixel.com/images/tararu_article.jpg) will remain as a physical, lasting testament to Jon’s hard work and belief in conservation in the Coromandel. On a more personal level though I know that Jon’s impact is much more far reaching than that – the dozens of volunteers which have come though the Valley, myself included, have left inspired and more in touch with the land. Jon was our guide and was what made that connection possible.

I’ll miss you buddy.

It’s hard to imagine that I no longer have the chance to thank Jon directly for this experience, I always imagined I would make it back to New Zealand and visit. I did want to share with you that he meant a lot to me, and his influence will not be forgotten. He did so many amazing and inspiring things throughout his life and he will be missed by many.

My sincere condolences,

Baylie

I will remember Jon as someone who worked hard, played hard, and loved life. He had a complicated personality – he cared deeply and had a huge laugh, but he was also stubborn and one of the most frustrating people I have ever met. During those 6 weeks I remember many rides in his Jeep when I was the lucky one not to be crammed into the volunteer van, instead I got to ride in comfort with him and the dogs. We would discuss the experience of life, analyze people, and what the Valley would be like in the future. We had so many wonderful conversations on those rides. I knew without a doubt that despite any conflicts we had, we would be friends for life and I was looking forward to returning to New Zealand for a visit in the next few years. When I learned Jon had never been to Canada I was determined to begin a quiet campaign to convince Jon that he needed to get here on a visit.

I will miss Jon a lot and when I am lucky enough to return to New Zealand, the trip just won’t be the same because I will no longer have Jon to go kayaking with or to chase his 6foot6 larger than life presence up some mountain side on a hike. Jon you made more of a difference than you probably realize, I will miss you.

He was a man of good nature and his relationship to the land was inspiring and admirable. When he spoke about the future of land at Earthwise valley he painted such a clear picture that I was able to envision it so clearly and i assumed that one day I would return to new zealand and the coromandel to see the growth, transformation, and sustainable world he dreamt about.

I didnt know jon long, but passion, determination, and fighter were words I would use to describe him. Its unfortunate that his worries and fears were kept locked in his head. The world will never know how long he suffered or what he really suffered from but I hope his friends, family, and all loved ones can find some comfort in knowing that his pain no longer exists.

Jon you left the world too soon and you and your spirit will be missed.

I first met Jon in 2000 when I came to New Zealand to do an internship at Tararu Valley. I was 16 years old at the time, and I came with my friend, Todd Loewen. I remember being so excited when we first arrived in The Valley. Jon housed us in a cabin up on the hill, surrounded by manuka. The Valley was so gorgeous, and I felt like I was in heaven.

I stayed in The Valley for a little over two months, and I have many dear memories of time spent with Jon there. Everyday was a new adventure. Jon dubbed Todd and I the “Botany Boys”, which I liked quite a lot, and would take us on fantastic hikes where he would teach us about native plants (he had vast knowledge of the local flora, fauna, and natural history) and then quiz us on their names and uses. He was a great teacher. Jon had a reverence and excitement for the natural world that was contagious.

A close friend from back home, Mali Cotterill, came to New Zealand to join us in The Valley. Andrew Rotando, a volunteer and friend, joined the team as well. We had a little family in The Valley, and Jon really liked this. We went on midnight possum hunts (always a thrill), built trails, planted trees, cut down gorse, and planted gardens. We worked hard and played hard. Jon gave us free reign of The Valley, and I absolutely loved it. Jon really wanted to make sure we were having a good experience—a mix of learning, work, and fun (or “re-creation”, as he used to say)—and he did a really good job at that.

I became quite close with Jon. He used to call me Joe-Berger (my last name is Alsberge), which I found endearing. I remember once on a hike I fell and got a pretty nasty splinter in my finger (I still have the scar). That night Jon spent a good hour carefully and patiently working it out with a needle and warm water soak.

Jon was a hilarious guy who could always make me laugh. I brought a hat from home to give to Jon with the name of my hometown on it, Bainbridge Island. He really liked that hat, and wore it all the time. Whenever somebody asked him where Bainbridge Island was, he would answer in a jokingly incredulous way, “You don’t know where Bainbridge Island is!?!”, as if everyone should know where an obscure little island in the State of Washington is. It was quite funny.

Jon was always shocked by how much sugar I could consume (at that time I was a serious sugar addict!). I would buy huge bags of licorice allsorts from Thames and bring them back up to The Valley and hoard them for myself. This dismayed Jon because he was really working hard to get me to eat healthier (he eventually succeeded). Once, Todd and I decided to make lemon bars using Todd’s mom’s recipe, which involved lots of sugar. That night we left the tray of lemon bars down in Jon’s place, and the next morning discovered that they had all been eaten. When we asked Jon what happened, he said with a guilty smile on his face, “Rats ate ‘em.” We happily teased him about that for weeks to come.

Jon would always challenge Todd and I to wrestling matches and no matter what we would try we could never beat him, even 2 on 1. The guy was invincible and really knew some phenomenal martial arts moves.

Jon took Todd, Mali, Andrew, and I on some wonderful trips around Coromandel Peninsula. I have fond memories of hot springs, fish and chips wrapped in newspaper, and listening to Music from the Coffee Lands and Wonders of the African World (Jon liked these two albums a great deal). I remember on one of those trips when we showed Jon the movie, The Big Lebowski, one of my favorite comedies. He loved it, and would frequently quote lines from it, even years later.
When it came time to return to the U.S., I didn’t want to leave. I had really enjoyed my time with Jon in New Zealand. Because of this, I returned again to The Valley in 2003. Jon welcomed me with open arms. It was great to be back. I stayed for a month, and would have stayed longer, but had to return home because of the sudden death of my father. After I left, Jon planted Kauri trees in memory of my dad.

Over the years, Jon really made an effort to stay in touch with me. I always saw myself taking trips back to New Zealand to visit him once I finished school. We also talked of him coming to the U.S. at some point so we could take a sea-kayaking trip together.

I am very sad that I will not have the opportunity to see Jon again in this lifetime. I am very grateful to have had him as a teacher and friend, and I will sorely miss him.