Looking after our local environment doesn’t have to be hard – there are lots of ways to get involved, protect native plants and wildlife, and make your neighbourhood greener. Here are five projects and initiatives in Upper Harbour where you can make a difference.
1. Greenhithe Possum Free Project
The Greenhithe Possum Free Project helps protect native plants and wildlife by controlling possums across the peninsula. Greenhithe is home to patches of native bush with kauri and kahikatea trees along with native birds and lizards.
Being mostly surrounded by water makes it easier to keep possums out, giving conservation efforts a real advantage. Volunteers help trap and monitor pests, protecting these special habitats for the future.
Project coordinator Louis Foot says,”By working together as a community here on the Greenhithe peninsula, we can protect native plants and animals to make Greenhithe a safer place for our biodiversity.”
2. Ethnic Groups in Conservation
Families can learn practical ways to care for their local environment at workshops designed for ethnic communities. Delivered in Mandarin, sessions combine classroom learning and outdoor activities, teaching participants to identify native and invasive plants, remove weeds, and record wildlife sightings. Many families are now applying these skills in their gardens and neighbourhoods.
A participant says, “Through this course, I gained a deeper understanding of the relationship between plants, animals and the environment.”
Another adds, “This course made me want to observe my local environment more closely and take part in more community activities.”
3. Te Hōnonga a Iwi / Restoring Rosedale
The Rosedale Park community reduces stormwater polluting the Alexander Stream, grows food, native plants, and community connections. Funding from the council and local board has added water tanks, restoration tools, and a wheelchair-accessible shade house, and completing a food forest making it easier to grow seedlings, rākau, and fresh food.
The team uses bioorganic regenerative methods, turning food scraps, paper waste and pest plants into compost and avoiding sprays or chemicals. Rangitoto College and Wilson School māra kai students volunteer each fortnight to grow food for local people and learn about climate adaptation.
Project coordinator Nicky Shave says, “This project brings people together to support climate action, green the local environment, grow food, learn new skills and care for the land and the waterway while improving soil health and supporting local wildlife.”
4. Bringing Back the Birds to Herald Island
The Herald Island Environmental Group has been restoring the island since 1995. Their Bringing Back the Birds programme protects native plants and birds through predator control, bird monitoring, weeding, and planting locally grown natives.
Community events like the Weed it Out weekends and weeding, mulching and planting at Reserve Care Days encourage everyone to get involved. Projects also support the North‑West Wildlink, a network of connected habitats for birds and wildlife, funded by the local board and council.
“Our goal is to help native plants and birds thrive while giving everyone a beautiful place to enjoy,” says the group coordinator Jan Diprose.
5. Get Involved
There are plenty of ways to take part and support local conservation in Upper Harbour:
- Volunteer for the Greenhithe Possum Free Project – help trap and monitor possums. Contact: greenhithepossumfree@gmail.com
- Join the Herald Island Environmental Group – take part in planting and weed control. Contact: info@heraldisland.org.nz
- Help at Rosedale Park Māra Kai – assist with gardening, planting, and composting. Contact: info@tehonongaaiwi.nz
- Got a question about community workshops designed for ethnic communities – email info@uwen.org.nz.
- Get involved with a community project in your neighbourhood. Upper Waitematā Ecology Network (UWEN) brings together local groups to protect native habitats across the Upper Waitematā Harbour. For details, visit uwen.org.nz
Getting involved is a great way to protect native species, learn new skills, and connect with your community. Every action counts.
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