Bay of Plenty conservation groups
Introduction
Get involved with conservation groups working with DOC in the Bay of Plenty.Listed below are some volunteer based groups that you can get involved with. You'll learn new skills, meet like-minded people, contribute to conservation, and increase your connection to your local community and natural spaces.
For more conservation volunteer opportunities in Bay of Plenty volunteer for a DOC project.
Aongatete Forest Restoration Trust
Aim: To restore the wildlife and plant life to a part of the Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park. Volunteers carry out pest control including poisoning ship rats and possums.
Aongatete Forest Restoration Trust on Forest & Bird website
Apanui Saltmarsh Care Group
Aim: To protect the Apanui Saltmarsh by the Whakatane River by removing rubbish and monitoring birds.
Contact: Warner Haldane +64 7 308 0215 or apanui.saltmarsh.care@gmail.com
Bay Conservation Alliance
Aim: To support, sustain and grow community led environmental restoration and nature conservation throughout the Bay of Plenty. Bay Conservation Alliance support groups by connecting environmental restoration and nature conservation projects, delivering key shared support services to its members, increasing community participation in member activities through advertising, education, events and effective volunteer management.
Bay Conservation website and Facebook page
Bay of Plenty community partnership programmes
Aim: To restore the dunes and estuaries in the Bay of Plenty. Coast Care is made up of an number of community groups throughout the region.
Coast Care on Bay of Plenty Regional Council website
Estuary Care on Bay of Plenty Regional Council website
Forest & Bird Eastern Bay of Plenty branch
Aim: To assist and help fund: pest trapping programmes from Otamarakau to Ohiwa, the Whakatane harbour restoration group, the Waiewe stream restoration, the Forest & Bird Kiwi Conservation Club for kids, a planning and submission programme to district and regional councils on native flora and fauna and coastal protection issues.
Forest & Bird Eastern Bay of Plenty branch website
Friends of the Blade, Whakamarama
Aim: To establish a 300 ha pest free zone around the new 40-minute Pa Kereru Track and adjoining plateau country served by the Ngamarama track, accessed by the Blade car park, Whakamarama Road end. The tracks go through beautiful recovering native bush, with some interesting wetlands, home to endangered Fern birds.
Contact: Colin Hewens, Project Leader +64 7 552 6771 or col.hewens@orcon.net.nz
Friends of the Tarawera Trail
Aim: To tackle invasive weeds along the Tarawera Trail, Rotorua.
Contact: Rachel Howells rachel-howells1@hotmail.co.uk
HALO Whakatāne
Aim: Creating an unfenced bird sanctuary in the heart of the Eastern Bay of Plenty.
HALO Whakatāne website and Facebook page
Kaharoa Kōkako Trust
Aim: To ensure the survival of the kōkako in the Kaharoa Forest by reducing the number of possums and rats.
Kaharoa Kōkako Trust website and Facebook page
Kaimai Ridgeway Trust
Aim: To upgrade the tracks, huts and campsites throughout the Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park to provide a wider range of options for day tramping, overnight tramping, and multi-day tramping experiences.
Kaimai Ridgeway website and Facebook page
Kiwi Encounter
Aim: To run a captive kiwi breeding programme at Rainbow Springs Nature Park alongside the BNZ Save the Kiwi Trust 'Operation Nest Egg' initiative to boost numbers of kiwi in the wild. Volunteer guides and help behind the scenes is needed.
Kiwi Encounter on Rainbow Springs website or Facebook page
Maketu Ongatoro Wetland Society
Aim: To support and encourage the conservation and restoration of the Lower Kaituna River, Maketu Ongatoro and Little Waihi Estuaries and their associated wetlands.
Maketu Ongatoro Wetland Society website and Facebook page
Manawahe Kōkako Trust
Aim: To protect kōkako in Manawahe, Rangitaiki area, through intensive pest control and monitoring.
Contact: Ken Laurent +64 7 3071323 or +64 27 4100 797
Matata Community Resource Centre
Aim: To improve Matata Lagoon and Walkway.
Matata Community Resource Centre Facebook page
Contact Anthony Olsen +64 7 322 2915 or mere@matata.net.nz
Nukuhou Saltmarsh Care Group
Aim: To protect and enhance the Nukuhou Saltmarsh as a safe environment for the rare and endangered birds that live there.
Stuart Slade +64 7 312 4583 or s.m.slade@xtra.co.nz
Ōkāreka Mistletoe Restoration Project
Aim: To protect threatened native mistletoe species in Tikitapu Scenic Reserve and Lake Ōkāreka marginal strip through weed control.
Ōkāreka Mistletoe Restoration Project on community association website
Ornithological Society of New Zealand - Bay of Plenty Branch
Aim: To monitor bird species and populations across a wide range of habitats in the Bay of Plenty.
Ornithological Society of New Zealand website
Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust
Aim: The long term survival of kiwi in Otanewainuku Forest through restoration and pest control.
Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust website
Pakihi Valley Care Group
Aim: To preserve native flora and fauna in the Pakihi Valley near Opotiki.
Contact Jane Hill +64 7 315 5777 or janefhill@xtra.co.nz
Rotoehu Ecological Trust
Aim: To protect the Pongakawa Ecological Area and its inhabitants, primarily the North Island kōkako, but also the forest as a whole.
Rotoehu Ecological Trust Facebook page
Te Whakakaha Conservation Trust
Aim: To protect and restore the habitat of the critically endangered Otawa Hochstetters frogs in the Otawa Scenic Reserve. Volunteers carry out pest control, restoration planting, and education.
The Trust was instrumental in the establishment of the area as a sanctuary.
Contact: tewhakakahatrust@gmail.com
Te Whakakaha Conservation Trust Facebook page
Tikitapu Pest Control Programme
Aim: To reduce rat and possum populations in order to protect the rare native mistletoe in the Tikitapu Reserve, encouraging bush regeneration and increased bird numbers.
Contact: Margaret Dick at alan_marg@xtra.co.nz
Western Bay Wildlife Trust
Aim: To protect, restore and enhance native populations and ecosystems of the Western Bay of Plenty and educate through knowledge and involvement. We are particularly dedicated to protecting little blue penguins and grey-faced petrels through our long term monitoring projects.
Western Bay Wildlife Trust
Western Bay Wildlife Trust Facebook page
Whakatane Kiwi Trust
Aim: To promote education and advocacy for kiwi recovery in Whakatane.
Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust
Aim: The captive management, research, rehabilitation, and public awareness of New Zealands birds of prey – falcon, hawk and owl.