Restoration
Each year, we identify and undertake habitat restoration projects and grow a volunteer network which fosters a healthy community spirit. We work with local groups, schools, and businesses to support communities in looking after our lands and waterways, to create a stronger link between the environment and people.
Our Projects
Since 2008, we have identified and undertaken habitat restoration projects in the Upper Clutha basin, and have grown a volunteer network which fosters a healthy community spirit. We work with local groups, schools, and businesses to support communities in looking after healthy lands and waterways, to create a stronger link between the environment and people. Our planting projects create islands of new native bush and enrich existing areas to provide precious habitat for our native wildlife.
As well as propagating plants for our own projects, we also provide eco-sourced plants for projects run by other local community groups and not-for-profit organisations. We are happy to work with groups to discuss how we can best help them achieve their re-vegetation goals. If you are interested in sourcing plants from us, get in touch!
We have planted thousands of eco-sourced native plants in and around Wānaka since our inception. Some of our planting projects are ongoing (like the Millennium track) and others are completed (Waterfall Creek) as the plants are now fully grown and can look after themselves.
Current Projects
Albert Town Bridge Reserve
2021
616
This site contains two fenced off areas. It is a challenging site as it is dry and exposed. We hope to establish native plants to bring more diversity to this well used reserve.
Supporters: QLDC
Albert Town Lagoon
2014
2,492
Albert Town Lagoon project provides an opportunity to restore the natural integrity of the lagoon. With the support of ATCA, we aim to restore the wetland to a more indigenous state, re-introducing species lost to the area and providing a habitat for wetland wildlife.
Supporters: QLDC, Albert Town Community Association (ACTA)
Albert Town – Clutha Matau-au River
2018
878
On going planting along the Clutha Mata-au river helps to reintroduce native plants and native habitats. The river is big and running fast but its banks are dry, making it difficult for native plants to get established. Thankfully we have some dedicated local residents helping with the maintenance and watering.
Supporters: QLDC, Albert Town Community Association (ATCA)
Bremner Bay
2021
748
A planting site along the shores of Lake Wānaka, which means we can plant water loving plants such as mānuka, kahikatea, harakeke, and toetoe. The shores are also planted with dry tolerant species. We have a very dedicated team watering these plants over the summer months.
Supporters: QLDC, local businesses
Diamond Lake
2014
2,251
Diamond Lake is a wonderful lake and woodland area on the doorstep of Lake Wānaka. Since the grazing stopped, we have been able to enhance and supplement the natural regeneration at the site with plants grown in particular, nationally threatened and declining species such as the Olearia genus.
Supporters: DOC & Puzzling World
Domini Park
2022
202
Another new planting site for Te Kākano. This project is a part of a succession planting plan where pioneer species are planted first to establish a new ecology for other species. We have set up a water drum for walkers and passers by to help with watering the newly planted plants.
Supporters: QLDC, Ecofund (Otago Regional Council), local schools, homeschool group
Eely Point Living Memorial
2020
365
Eely Point is a commemorative planting site. The project is part of Matariki Tu Rākau, a programme that supports living memorials. A plaque was laid on site to honour the local members of the NZ Defence Force past and present.
Supporters: QLDC, Matariki tu Rākau, WAO Summit
Glendhu Wetland Wildlife Refuge
2018
2,640
The project was part of the Wānaka Water project.
This project is a great opportunity to enhance a precious wetland in a DOC Wildlife Reserve. The wetland is responding well to no longer being grazed and we have many suitable plants to help it further. The native plants are growing extremely and regeneration is on its way.
Supporters: DOC. The project was part of the Wānaka Water project with WAI Wānaka
Gunn Road Bike Park (Albert Town)
2023
244
This new site will bring more native plants near the bike park. It will enhance the local biodiversity and provide more food and shelter for the native birds and invertebrates.
A watering system is set up to help the plants over the hot and dry summer months.
Supporters: QLDC, ECOFund, Bike Wānaka, Albert Town Community Association (ATCA)
Gunn Road wetland (Albert Town)
2023
230
This project is about reintroducing native wetland species. The site is located along the Clutha Mata-au river, and is a small wetland, which allows us to plant a variety of riparian plants.
Supporters: DOC, Albert Town Community Association (ATCA)
Hāwea Domain
2023
250
A new planting site with the potential for many native plants to go in the ground, and the introduction of many native species. This project is part of the bigger reserve management plan project led by Queenstown Lakes District Council.
Supporters: QLDC
Hospital Flat
2020
346
In collaboration with the Wānaka Climbing Club and the Department of Conservation. There is some regeneration happening in this conservation area. We are trying to bring a wider variety of local species to bring more food and shelter to lizards, geckos and native birds.
Supporters: Department of Conservation, Wānaka Climbing Club
Kahuika (Albert Town)
2022
278
A new planting project in collaboration with Wānaka Disc Golf. This site is located at the confluence of the Clutha Mata-au and Cardrona rivers. The blue water drums on site are there to be used by disc golf players and other users of the site to water the plants.
Supporters: Disc Golf Wānaka
Lismore Park – bike park
2023
The Lismore Bike Park had a massive freshen up this year. As part of the project, we planted some native plants with Bike Wānaka and many students from the local college. Because of the tall trees already in place, we were able to plant understory native species such as wineberries and tree fuschias.
Supporters: QLDC, Bike Wānaka, students from Mt Aspiring College
Lismore Park – Welcome Forest
2022
200
The “Welcome Forest” is planted with the “citizen trees” received by new citizens based in the Upper Clutha. We plan to welcome more citizens and their trees to this new forest to be.
Supporters: QLDC & the Welcoming Communities
Millennium Track
2010
3,250
This habitat restoration project takes place along the Lake Wānaka foreshore along the Millennium track. This site allows us to plant a great variety of species due to the different micro-environments. We can plant tōtara and kōwhai but also mountain wineberry, koromiko, tree daisies and our first ever grove of mountain beech.
Supporters: QLDC, local businesses
Mou Waho
2010
1,501
This project is led and managed by Eco Wanaka Adventure. The native trees are chosen from our nursery and planted as a food source to the varied species on the island, including the Buff Weka, now extinct on mainland New Zealand.
Supporters: In collaboration with QLDC and Eco-Adventure. The project is led and managed by Eco-Adventure.
Outlet (Albert Town)
2011
1,108
Thanks to generous funding from Callum Urquhart of the Lake Outlet Holiday Park, this project was carried out to introduce more native species into the esplanade reserve at The Outlet. The Outlet is also the chosen site for DOC’s Project Gold (dedicated to the protection and enhancement of kōwhai trees in Otago).
Supporters: DOC, Project Gold, Individuals
Penrith Wetland
2012
1,699
We adopted the Penrith Reserve as a project to introduce more native plants into this area, which provides specialised habitats for a variety of fauna and flora. In 2019 the site became one of the projects of the Wānaka Water Project.
Supporters: QLDC, Ministry for the Environment (Freshwater Improvement Fund), Challenge Wānaka
Point With No Name
2020
127
This is located below the Glendhu Bay track which is also part of the Te Araroa trail network. It is on point to the east of Damper Bay. This “out of the way” site is beautiful and offers stunning views of the lake and mountains.
Supporters: QLDC, Madill family
Riverside
2021
300
The project started with a planting with the team from the local DOC office and Team Green from Mount Aspiring College. The project continues thanks to the support of the Wānaka Climbing Club that looks after the plants.
Supporters: DOC, Team Green (MAC), Wānaka Climbing Club
Roy’s Bay East
2017
380
This project starts 200m after the marina and continues towards Eely Point. In 2017, a group of year 9 students initiated a project called “E tipu e rea – Grow the new generation”. They grew native plants and planted them at a site near the marina.
In 2023, the project continued and 250 plants were planted further along the track to enhance the native habitat and replant where willows had been felled. The planting site will be looked after by the Urban Catchment Group.
Supporters: QLDC, Mt Aspiring College, WAI Wānaka, Urban Catchment Group
Roy’s Bay West
2011
7,999
This habitat restoration project takes place along the Lake Wānaka foreshore between Stoney Creek and Waterfall Creek. It’s Te Kākano’s second native habitat restoration project. The project has been carried out in different stages
Supporters: QLDC, Rippon Vineyard, Edgewater, Wānaka Homestead Lodge and Cottages, Lake Wānaka Tourism
Templeton Park (Albert Town)
2022
500
This new project is located in the old part of Albert Town. The Park is fully rabbit fenced and used a lot by local residents. We appreciate the help of neighbours who help with watering and maintenance.
Supporters: QLDC
Waimana Place
2014
403
This site contains small wetlands where we can plant riparian plants such Carex secta, toetoe and harakeke. There are also drier places, and the fight against rabbits is difficult. The aim of this project is to bring more native plants to the area as well as enhance a local track very well used by residents.
Supporters: QLDC, Protect Our Winters NZ
Wānaka Primary school native garden
2013
424
The project was about creating a reference native plant garden for the students. Since 2013, we have organised many maintenance sessions with the kids and their parents, and we replanted some plants. It is a great resource to learn about native plants and the environment.
Supporters: Wānaka Primary school, students, parents & teachers
Weka Block
2016
1,532
This habitat restoration is a continuation of our plantings on the Millennium to Glendhu Bay track. The area has good soil, but is quite dry so the plants benefit from watering assistance from a neighbouring property.
Supporters: QLDC, neighbour, Triple Glazing
Completed Projects
Bullock Creek Wetland
2016
2020
2,527
Although started by Fish & Game Otago and Te Kākano, the project is now fully led and managed by the Friends of Bullock Creek. The project required an initial clean-up of the wetland and then re-vegetation with the appropriate native plants began. The creek is an important community asset and the public walkway is a great way for everyone to enjoy the wetland. more plants are planted every year by Friends of Bullock Creek and they source their own native plants.
Supporters: In collaboration with Fish & Game. The project is now led and managed by the Friends of Bullock Creek.
Glendhu Bay
2012
2022
1,440
This project was co-initiated with Ridgeline Adventures to introduce more native species to the area with hope of creating a new link to other native habitats along the foreshore. The forest area between the Mt Aspiring viewpoint car park and the Holiday Park currently sees the best forest remnant on the entire southern shore with the only stand of rohutu and several other species found nowhere else (i.e. karamu, mingimingi).
Supporters: QLDC, Ridgeline Adventure, Challenge Wānaka
Hāwea River
2018
2021
790
The project was part of the Wānaka Water project.
This site is on QLDC land by the Hāwea River track, downstream from the Camphill Road bridge. The aim was to help filter water that is draining into the river from nearby dairy operations.
Supporters: QLDC, part of the Wānaka Water project
Waterfall Creek
2009
2015
764
This project re-introduced indigenous species into the Waterfall Creek riparian zone, focusing on the vicinity of the Millennium Walkway bridge and down-stream to Lake Wānaka, comprising approximately 1.5 hectares of land. The project was significant in size and scope and was undertaken in three phases. It was one of Te Kākano’s first projects.
Supporters: Ministry for the Environment, QLDC
Wishbone Falls
2018
2023
1,999
The project was part of the Wānaka Water project.
The site is in a stunning location near beautiful waterfalls. The planting is along the waterways on an easement. The aim of the project is to improve the water quality as most plants are riparian plants.
Supporters: The project was part of the Wānaka Water project in collaboration with WAI Wānaka and local farmers.