It wasn’t emails and meetings on the agenda for Spark’s Tāmaki Makaurau team last week. Instead, staff traded their keyboards for gumboots and spades, joining whānau from Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust, the Department of Conservation (DOC) and Auckland Council in a massive planting effort at Spark’s Warkworth satellite communications facility.
Togther, the group planted thousands of native trees across 1.29 hectares of wetland, helping to restore biodiversity and improve the health of the Mahurangi waterways.
The planting is part of the Mahurangi Land Restoration Programme, a long-term initiative led by DOC and Auckland Council that aims to reduce sediment flowing into the harbour, protect wildlife, and create healthier ecosystems for generations to come.
Auckland Council’s Head of Sustainable Partnerships Tom Mansell said the day showed what collaboration can achieve.
“Efforts like this are key to restoring natural waterways for a more sustainable Auckland. We’re incredibly proud to be part of the Mahurangi Land Restoration Programme, and the results we’re already seeing in reducing sedimentation into the harbour.”
The planting mix was carefully chosen, with harakeke, mānuka, and kahikatea providing not only food and shelter for native birds but also helping to stabilise the soil and reduce silt washing into rivers, estuaries and the harbour. Cleaner waterways mean taonga species like tuna (eels) and native fish can thrive in their natural habitats.
For Spark, the project reflects both its sustainability ambitions and its Māori strategy, Te Korowai Tupu – the cloak of growth, which weaves together values such as kaitiakitanga (guardianship of the environment) and toitū (standing strong for generations to come).
Spark’s Māori Development Lead, Riki Hollings, said the day was about more than planting trees.
“We’re proud to support this restoration mahi, especially with the integration of traditional cultural practices like karakia and mātauranga Māori around optimal habitats for taonga species like tuna. Warkworth has been part of Spark’s history since the 1960s, and it’s exciting to look ahead and see how this whenua will flourish with the return of native plants.”
The muddy boots, smiling faces, and freshly planted wetlands at Warkworth are a reminder that technology and nature can work hand in hand and that restoring the environment is a job best done together.
