- Thousands of native plants will be given away free across nine participating community nurseries during June
- The initiative is part of Auckland Council’s Go Native campaign to encourage Aucklanders to plant more natives
- The Urban Ngahere Strategy aims to increase Auckland’s forest canopy to 30 per cent to enhance the region.
As winter settles across Auckland and the gardening gloves come back out, there’s never been a better time to plant something that gives back for generations to come.
This June, Aucklanders are being invited to dig into a greener future through Auckland Council’s Go Native campaign, a region-wide initiative encouraging people to plant native seedlings in their backyards, gardens and even balcony pots.
And the best part?
Thousands of native plants will be given away free across nine participating community nurseries during the month.
Behind the campaign is a network of community nurseries quietly transforming Auckland’s environment from the ground up. Together, these nurseries grow thousands of native plants every year for restoration projects, school planting days, and community conservation efforts.
But they’re doing more than growing trees. They’re growing habitats, restoring ecosystems, and reconnecting people with the natural world on their doorstep.
Environmental Services General Manager Samantha Hill says community nurseries are at the heart of Auckland’s restoration story.
“Restoring native biodiversity doesn’t always require big actions,” she says.
“It starts in backyards, shared gardens and local community groups. This campaign gives people a simple way to make a difference while celebrating the nurseries helping restore nature across Auckland.”
The campaign is part of Auckland Council’s Urban Ngahere Strategy, which aims to increase Auckland’s forest canopy to 30 per cent, helping create cooler, greener neighbourhoods and vital green corridors for native wildlife.
And the benefits of planting native plants go far beyond good looks.
A flowering kōwhai can become a café for tūī and bellbirds. Hebes provides nectar for native bees. Harakeke feeds birds, insects, and even bats, while helping prevent erosion. Mānuka offers shelter for pollinators and produces the flowers behind New Zealand’s famous medicinal honey. Even a single coprosma shrub can provide berries loved by geckos and native birds.
The campaign aims to see 5,000 Aucklanders plant native trees this winter, a small act that collectively could have a huge impact on the region’s biodiversity and future canopy cover.
The initiative is funded through the Natural Environment Targeted Rate (NETR), which is supported by Aucklanders in the Long-Term Plan 2024-2034 and is a ring-fenced rate specifically for environmental protection and community conservation.
Throughout June, Aucklanders can use an online map to find their nearest participating nursery and collect a free native seedling while stocks last. Many nurseries will also host weekend events where locals can meet volunteers, get planting advice and learn which native species are best suited to their own patch of Auckland.
Because sometimes, restoring nature starts with something as simple as planting one small tree.
To find participating nurseries click here