Ever wondered how your local environment is being looked after? This financial year, Manurewa Local Board is investing $1.1 million in a range of environmental and sustainability initiatives to restore and protect the natural environment and build awareness around individual carbon emissions at a local level.
Here are three exciting initiatives the local board has committed to for your neighbourhood, which you can get involved in too.
How many moth plants do you see in this picture? Too many!
Pest Free South Auckland – Manurewa ($155,000)
Manurewa’s mission to revive native biodiversity is stepping up a gear as the next phase of the Pest Free South Auckland programme gets underway – with community leading the charge. The programme empowers residents and volunteers to be armed and ready to go to war against pest plants animals to protect natives.
Manurewa Local Board’s investment enables the Beautification Trust to bolster efforts with tools, devices and staffing to coordinate the programme.
With 282 traps, 72 bait stations and 161 monitoring stations, locals were able to trap 67 predators at the end of 2025 in their backyards and nearby reserves.
Not only are natives thriving thanks to these efforts, the programme itself continues to grow with community engagement and activations to spark interest and spread the good word. Recently, the programme has held ‘Ask an Expert: Pest Plant Edition’ at the Auckland Botanic Gardens, working bees, workshops, school education sessions – with evening Bat Walks planned for upcoming months.
Among its many initiatives, the annual Moth Plant Competition is a popular one, bringing local schools into the fight against one of the region’s most persistent pest plants.
Anyone can sign up for the war against weeds. To register email Pest Free South Auckland, competition closes 8 May.
It's time to clean up in Manurewa
Minimising Manurewa’s waste ($240,000)
Manurewa Local Board’s significant investment for this programme aims to ramp up efforts to reduce household waste, curb illegal dumping and boost neighbourhood pride.
Since July 2025, the Beautification Trust who is leading this work, has already collected nearly 7,000kg of waste, diverting more than 1,600kg from landfill, including 350kg of e-waste, 500kg of metal and 61 tyres. A further 100+ e-waste items were recycled through the community recycling centre.
Building on previous waste reduction initiatives, the Beautification Trust is coordinating a suite of new actions to make it easier for residents to recycle, dispose of hazardous materials safely and keep their public spaces clean.
These include:
- A free e‑waste recycling trial at the Manurewa Community Recycling Centre
- A new illegal dumping collection pilot is now operating twice a week across key hotspots, with data collected to help guide future action
- Two hazardous waste collection events, offering safe disposal options for items that can’t go into kerbside bins.
Randwick Park School students crafting plans to keep an eye on their natural environment.
Manurewa’s young environment champions making a difference ($35,000)
Thanks to local board funding, Manurewa students are rolling up their sleeves to protect local waterways and build a more resilient urban environment with the sustainability programme, ‘Working with Wai’ rolling out across local schools.
As part of the initiative, litter traps were installed on school grounds, helping students see firsthand how rubbish moves through stormwater drains, ultimately affecting the Manukau Harbour. Classroom sessions and hands-on activities aims to deepen their understanding of how everyday choices impact local ecosystems.
Students are learning about creating a spongier city – an urban area designed with natural features that soak up rainwater, reduce flooding and cool surrounding neighbourhoods.
Through visits to the Auckland Botanic Gardens’ Spongy City and soil programmes, students will learn practical ways technology and ecology can work together to build climate resilience. Four schools receive transport to attend programme sessions, and an educator to follow up and help develop local action plans, supported with materials and equipment. Each school then brings its ideas to life in their own community.
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