Connect for Nature

Pourewa Reserve is a 33 hectare cultural site of significance located in Ōrākei owned and operated by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Mana whenua and Te Ahikaa of Tamaki Makaurau.

Across the whole Pourewa site, waterways are prioritised for ecological restoration to ensure mauri is restored to both the Pourewa Creek and the wider moana. The site also provides opportunities for whanau and the community to embrace and integrate with important environmental projects. This includes work in their native nursery, Maara kai, Maara Rongoa, Parakore/composting as well as conservation and restoration of the reserve.

Website: https://ngatiwhatuaorakei.com/toi-taiao/pourewa/ 

Makaurau Marae Nursery is an Iwi-led, native plant nursery based in Ihumaatao, Māngere. They are "committed to sustainable horticulture and nurturing Pāpātuanuku by following our ancestral models." Seeds are eco-sourced locally from the Manukau Ecological District and grown in an organic environment. 

The nursery creates opportunities for their people through education, employment and reconnecting with the environment. This strengthens the mauri of both the people and whenua. 

As part of the Puhinui Regeneration Project, Makaurau Marae Nursery supplies plants to Te Pu-a-Nga Maara. 

Website: https://makauraumarae.co.nz/about/nursery/ 

Established in 2017, Te Pu-a-Nga Maara is a Rangatahi led collective of Taiao Innovators that was born out of the shared aspirations of Makaurau Marae, Manurewa Marae and Papatuuaanuku Kookiri Marae.

Their mission is to “revive ancestral knowledge and practices, reconnect people to place and regenerate te taiao for the future”. The project employs and upskills local rangatahi (Taiao Rangers) and embeds local Maatauranga Maaori. The vision of the Taiao Rangers extends beyond mere preservation; they strive to restore local ecosystems, revitalise the diversity within those ecosystems, and foster a profound connection between people and place in the Puhinui area.

Website: https://www.tpnm.co.nz/ 

Conservation Volunteers are working to restore the Papakura Stream, a significant freshwater system that reaches from Brookby in East Auckland to the Manukau Harbour in the West. Tree cover is extremely low in this catchment and the upper rural Papakura Stream now has one of the highest E. coli levels in Auckland. 

The Papakura Stream Restoration Project aims to improve the health of the stream and the wider catchment. The project kicked off in 2021 and to date, 53,000 trees and plants have been planted on 8 project sites and almost 1km of stream fenced off. Outside of the planting season, the focus is on species and water monitoring, invasive weed removal and litter clean ups in the urban areas. The Papakura Stream and its tributaries and wetlands cover a huge area and there is tremendous scope for this project to grow and continue over many years.

Website: https://conservationvolunteers.co.nz/ 

Matuku Link is a large native forest block in Auckland’s Bethell’s valley, bordering the Te Henga wetland. It forms a vital link between three neighbouring eco-restoration projects, providing a safe corridor for native birds and wildlife.

Website: https://matukulink.org.nz/ 

Restore Hibiscus & Bays (RHB) is a community-led initiative based in the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board area. It is an umbrella organisation that encompasses groups and projects working across the East Coast Bays, along the Whangaparaoa peninsula, and up along the coast to Waiwera.

RHB has three strategic focus areas: predator eradication, pest plant control and stream restoration. The group help to coordinate and connect restoration activity across catchments, connecting habitat for native wildlife and improving the quality of water flowing down to our beaches and into the Hauraki Gulf - Tīkapa Moana.

Website: https://restorehb.org.nz/

Waiheke Resources Trust (WRT) works towards the ecological restoration and protection of the important wetland habitats and surrounding environments on Waiheke Island.

Since teaming up with the Sustainable Business Network, WRT’s Love Our Wetlands Project has grown from four to seven restoration sites on Waiheke. Each site has unique historical, cultural and environmental value. WRT are working towards the creation of vibrant habitats across Waiheke where Aotearoa New Zealand’s native species can thrive.

Website: https://www.wrt.org.nz/

The Friends of Baring Head Trust was created to provide a means for the community to assist Greater Wellington in caring for Baring Head and being involved in its management and development. The group has the long term goal of restoring the lower reaches of the Wainuiomata River, bringing life back to Baring Head.

Over the past five years, Million Metres has supported the Friends of Baring Head in the planting of more than 13,000 native plants and trees. The group is now focusing on planting greater density in the areas that are only sparsely planted, to increase the biodiversity of this incredible site.

Website: https://www.baringhead.org.nz/

WAI Wānaka are a community group made up of passionate individuals with a shared vision of healthy ecosystems and community wellbeing for future generations. Their kaupapa is accelerating local action for our fresh water through trust-based partnerships, connection and collaboration.

Million Metres first partnered with WAI Wānaka back in 2017 to support the Wānaka Water Project, which has already enabled more than 18,000 native plants and trees to be planted along waterways in the catchment. Funds raised will continue this mahi, helping WAI Wānaka to reach their goal of planting 24,000 plants and trees by 2023.

Website: https://www.waiwanaka.nz

Te Nohoaka o Tukiauau/Sinclair Wetlands is a 315-hectare wetland system located south of Dunedin. The name Te Nohoaka o Tukiauau acknowledges ‘the dwelling place of Tukiauau’, an early Ngāti Mamoe chief. The area is now owned by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, and is valued as a wāhi taonga (culturally significant site), for mahinga kai (traditional food and resources), conservation, recreation, and education.

Work is underway to restore this site, with emphasis on restoring vegetation condition and healthy habitat, maintaining water quality, while enhancing mahinga kai and restoring the connection that local iwi have with their ancestral site.

Website: https://www.tenohoaka.org.nz/

Waimakariri District Council in collaboration with the Silverstream Reserve Volunteer Group.

Silverstream Reserve, spanning 52 hectares across two sites near Clarkville in North Canterbury, offers a rich ecological and cultural experience.

Replanted with over 50,000 native plants, it features wetlands, drylands, and unique species like the rare gratiola sextendata and creeping pōhuehue. The reserve, significant to local Māori for mahinga kai, is also known for fishing.

Website: https://www.silverstreamreserve.org/