Thousands of pests have been removed from inner Auckland suburbs thanks to an organisation which receives funding from Albert-Eden and Waitematā local boards.
Urban Ark - Manawa Taiao supports the mahi (work) of local volunteer groups to help our native plant and bird life flourish.
The organisation operates in central suburbs providing tools, resources and advice for pest trapping, weeding and planting, along with educating school children on local ecology.
Urban Ark recently celebrated its fifth birthday, and in that time nearly 12,000 pests have been caught in traps distributed to volunteers.
“We’ve got about 3,000 traps currently out, some in reserves, mostly in people’s back gardens,” says Urban Ark Operations Manager Paul Whitfield.
The organisation works with conservation groups right across the two local board areas.
Paul explains that trapping and weed control is important because introduced pest plants and animals have negative impacts on our native flora and fauna.
“We do the trapping because we’ve brought rats, possums, and a whole load of other animals that significantly impact our native biodiversity. That’s obvious things like birds and skinks and weta, but also the forest itself.”
Historically there hasn’t been as much of a focus on pest control in urban areas as there has in areas like the Waitakere Ranges and Hauraki Gulf Islands.
“By encouraging more and more people to trap, and reducing the number of rats and possums around, we can give our native biodiversity a real helping hand in these urban areas too.”
If you’re interested in getting involved, head to Urban Ark’s website where there’s a list of different groups from around the area specialising in a mixture of trapping and weeding, to find out what might suit you.
Have your say
Consultation is open until Friday 28 March 2025 on Auckland Council’s Annual Plan for 2025/2026. As part of this, local boards are asking for feedback on their proposed spending for the year ahead, including budget allocations towards environmental restoration, volunteers and pest control activities.
“Every year we have tough decisions to make around how to spend our budget to get the best outcomes for our community,” says Waitematā Local Board chair Genevieve Sage.
“Don’t miss out on telling us what’s most important to you so we can make sure we’ve got our priorities right.”
Let us know your views by reading the consultation materials and giving feedback at akhaveyoursay.nz/ourplan before Friday.
