Source: Auckland Council
Āwhitu Landcare is a community-led organisation that has been quietly working to restore and protect the natural environment of the Āwhitu Peninsula for over 30 years.
Covering over 22 hectares of landscape the community-led group, supported by Franklin Local Board funding, is focused on caring for and planting native trees, pest eradication, and bringing back native wildlife to the area.
Planting native trees
With support from Te Korowai o Papātuanuku, a dedicated project team focused on native planting, and the Ministry for Primary Industries Billion Trees programme, Awhitu Landcare has grown and provided over 300,000 free native plants to local restoration sites between 2020 and 2024.
In 2023 alone, the group supplied 105,000 native plants to 37 sites across the peninsula. Volunteers and landowners put in 2,900 hours of work to prepare the land, plant trees, and look after the growing plants.
Franklin Local Board member Gary Holmes is thrilled with the progress and impact the community-led project is having, both environmentally and socially.
“Continued investment into environmental initiatives like Āwhitu Landcare is important for the future of the area and its people.”
The group also supports iwi-led projects. In 2023, they provided 16,000 native plants for three iwi restoration sites, working alongside local primary and secondary school students to plant them.
“Projects like Āwhitu Landcare don’t just improve the environment – they help rangatahi connect with the land and gain hands-on conservation experience.” says Holmes.
Predator free Āwhitu
Along with planting trees, the group is on a mission to make Āwhitu predator free by removing pests that kill native species or damage wildlife.
Pests like possums, rats, and stoats kill native birds and eat young plants, while deer, pigs, and goats damage the land.
The goal for the group is to reduce possum numbers to less than 5%, which would make a huge difference for native wildlife in the area.
In 2024 alone, over 750 possums were caught and removed, helping native forests recover.
Tackling kauri dieback
Alongside planting and pest control, they are also tackling serious plant disease that threaten the regions native forests. Through partnerships with Kauri Rescue, they have helped connect landowners with experts and iwi kaimahi to treat kauri trees affected by dieback disease using phosphite treatment.
The group is also working to protect rōhutu trees from myrtle rust, using fungicide treatments. To strengthen their commitment to biosecurity, they are working towards Plant Pass certification to ensure the highest standards in their native plant nursery.
The future of Āwhitu
The mahi continues this year and will see the group plant more trees, control more pests, and protect more native wildlife with the ongoing support of local volunteers, community partners and Franklin Local Board.
Stay connected
Sign up for your Local Board E-news and get the latest news and events direct to your inbox each month. Or follow us on Facebook.
