May 2025 project update

Matariki is approaching at pace. This season, we have over 2,500 natives to plant! We need to ask for help to achieve this feat when it's possible for you to plant, and we look forward to working together to enable us to reach the 9,500 natives mark!

Other actions across May include:

-        We have achieved a communication reach of 11,800 views across four news stories, a monthly report, and socials. Sheryl Blythen is working hard to educate and mentor four youth journalists, building their understanding of reporting and their skills sets. Reporting our actions enables us to share our model and our outputs transparently. Thanks to all members of the comms team for their ongoing mahi.

-        Graphic designer, Sam Weston is working on signage for the restoration and graphics for Te Hōno badges we will start to give out to volunteers who demonstrate extraordinary service that reflect our values and vision. Thank you for your work on this Sam!

-        We received further soil testing results from Masters student Peter at University of Auckland, with pH samples coming back slightly acidic and no or very low heavy metal contaminants, well under the NZ threshold for being an issue for food gardening. We are waiting to hear back from Alex Stanfield, Auckland Council, who is coordinating with the planning team to identify what other tests need to be done to plant fruit trees and vines in the ground at the food garden. The future syntropic food forest can use organic soil and compost above the ground once funding enables us to achieve this garden feature.

-        We have confirmed funding from Auckland Council for $3k restoration equipment, $7.5k for the wheelchair accessible shade house for growing natives, the compost sacks for the organic coir matting, wheelbarrows and $8k for a community garden water tank and installation. An extraordinary commitment from the Local Upper Harbour Board and Auckland Council to invest in growth at the restoration. In our case, funding from the Council is in addition to ongoing investment in our education, our skills and knowledge development and having access to high level expertise in socio-ecological, urban and sustainable development. Given our skills set, or lack of them, we have needed to tap into iwi and the Auckland Council teams’ intellectual, manufactured, human and natural capital resources almost weekly, definitely monthly to ensure we are aligned with best practice, the regional vision and we do no harm as we experiment with regenerating the environment using bioorganic techniques and sustainability principles and practices. We have immediate access to our Kaumatua and Council professionals who respond, often within a day, to our needs. Working in partnership with owi and Council professionals has been integral to Te Hōnonga a Iwi development from inception. Thank you all, especially Richard Nahi, Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara, Tracy Davis, Ngāti Whātua Orakei, Park Ranger Theo Jaycox, Local Board members Anna Atkinson and Kyle Parker, Sineade Brimacombe and Monica Sharma, Auckland Council community interface leads.

-        Fortunately, NZ Landcare Trust has also invested another $7k for the garden development that we hope to use to complete purchasing and installing the irrigation system to all garden features. With Atlas, NZ Machine Hire and North Harbour Rentals investment we were able to prepare half of the surface for phase two of the community garden build, readying the area for a container shed purchased by North Harbour Hockey Association for storage, enabling us to share the container space and collect water. Their support has also meant we could get the site ready for installing the two large water tanks. Although we missed out on the funding for the rat-proof composters, one water tank and the two shade pergolas we are very grateful to funders, volunteers and local SMEs for their partnerships with us to mitigate climate change and increase our ability to adapt to the impacts of global warming. In this economic climate it is harder than ever for SMEs to manage business as usual. Yet, all the organisations who partner with Te Hōnonga a Iwi strive to offer their strengths and what they can to enable progress. In total, we have raised $69,310 integrated value for phase two of the community food garden, an extraordinary outcome for our local community. Thank you all; it’s a humbling achievement and reflective of the vision of many partners.

-        We have also received a $10,000 grant from the Sky City Auckland Community Trust that is centred around youth determining what they would like to grow in a syntropics food forest that they will build under the guidance of a regenerative expert.

-        The Foundation North (wheelchair accessible glasshouse) and Harcourts (syntropic food forest) applications are still in progress. Regardless of these outcomes, it has been insightful to work with Foundation North during the application process. The rigour of the application journey has offered opportunity to build collateral that can be reproduced for future applications. Notably, understanding Foundation North’s commitment across the regions has enabled us to better understand what community leaders are achieving in very tight social and economic times. There is enormous scope to unite and raise the bar together. The Environmental Defence Society conference talked on multiple occasions of the value of multipolar collaboration,  a method we utilise to amplify collaboration and integration of our outcomes. It was a reminder to think big, and build corridors of positive societal change that will enable greater community reliance in the climate crisis era. One option to support regional growth is to be more willing to share application texts to enable greater support and growth in all areas. Please let us know if you would like to read our applications. We are happy to share them with you in the hope that you have greater ability to apply for support, reduce the time it takes for you to submit an application, and improve the chance for success in the future by learning from our application shortfalls and strengths.

-        The Business Activator student leaders continue to network locally to secure support for an underwater camera and security camera for the garden. Please connect with us if you are able to help us bring our bio aquatic animals and plants to life for our community.

-        We have confirmed with Auckland Council that we can install the water tanks 400mm below ground to enable us to collect water off roof lines.

-        We heard super exciting news this month that Wai Connection, Mountains to Sea (MTS) and Auckland Council are funding approximately $10k towards developing a local freshwater catchment restoration plan that is holistic and enables all stakeholders along the waterway undertaking regeneration work to unite and work cohesively towards regenerating water quality over time. We are privileged to have Charmaine Bailie, Uru Whakaaro, develop the plan, and a recipe, we can follow that reflects our commitment to work in partnership with iwi, multiple sectors, and nature to improve the wellbeing of the whenua and awa. Untold thanks to all partners in this special project. A hundred years from now, we hope that the actions we take today will pay positive dividends for nature and people who live nearby and depend upon it. At this point we are working as a team with representatives from iwi, Westminster School, Albany Senior High School, Kristin, Rangitoto College, Auckland Council, The Landing, Unsworth, UWEN, MTS and Te Hōno.

-        MTS also supported the production of a seminal water catchment report for Lucas Creek and Oteha Stream. You can download it here. EOS ecologists draw national data sets to formulate a report that investigates what historical land cover there was in Albany surrounds, the geology, topography, flow, climate, catchment network, position, landforms, stormwater networks, threatened species, soil type and drainage, existing protected areas, connection to the coast, sediment discharge, water clarity, turbidity, nitrogen, eColi, and macroinvertebrate impacts. The news is very concerning with extremely poor water clarity and turbidity in parts of the rohe, nitrogen levels that are likely to impact 20 per cent of the native species, EColi present over 30 per cent of the time in the Oteha and Lucas Streams and likely macroinvertebrate impact due to severe pollution with issues around water flow, water quality and habitat impacting the ability for macroinvertebrates to thrive in the area. Although a tough report to read, it has the capacity to inspire us to work hard to implement Charmaine’s restoration plan. The timing could not be better for flora and fauna living in the ecosystem we strive to support. Again, massive thanks to Briar Broad, Amy Sadler and Rhiannon Ledra at MTS and Rachael from UWEN, for prioritising reviewing the health of this water way and the EOS team for their expertise and mahi in generating a report in a user-friendly format with metrics that cannot be ignored.

-        We have been talking with Westlake Boys High School service leader and leaders within the Chinese Community through colleagues at Harbour Sports to ensure we offer meaningful opportunities and services for these groups to create positive change. We look forward to welcoming the boys back on site this year. And thoroughly look forward to teaming up with the Chinese community at the restoration and the garden if possible to learn from each other and work together to regenerate nature and the food garden.

-        Auckland Council supported us to attend another cultural induction session where a handful of Te Hōno leaders undertook a workshop with Te Kawerau ā Maki. We understand there will be another opportunity to increase our cultural knowledge and safety in July 2025, so please let us know if you are interested in attending.

-        Nicky attended the three-day EDS conference including the one-day Ocean symposium. She has a synopsis of the learnings and reference list available to share if you wish to look at the thematics. A reminder too, that all the presentations are online in a month's time with free access.

-        We have secured a ticket for the upcoming SBN conference and will have notes available to review.

-        Matt Wardle has devised a 3D topography of the restoration for us to use using drone images. IT and mapping skills enable us to understand growth over time. Thanks so much Matt for creating a map for us.

-        Matt is also co-leading the 2025 Youth Climate Collective COP in Tāmaki Makaurau this year. Youth interested in climate action are convening to design policy responses for delegates to present at COP 30 taking place in November at Belém, Brazil. The ecology/sustainability network has supported Matt to cast the net wider to encourage passionate youth who are seeking systems change in the climate space to attend, developing skills and knowledge in the construction of policy relating to supporting Indigenous Peoples rights in the climate changed era, climate and health knowledge, social justice, economics and biodiversity. Please connect with Matt on matthew@youthclimatecollective.com if you would like to be involved in this amazing project. 

-        Matt has been busy this year, beyond the above, he designed a future fit roadmap for NHHA. The template has also been used by UWEN to present their strategic and operational objectives to 2030. Te Hōnonga a Iwi contributed towards crafting UWEN’s roadmap and will use elements of it to present its strategy and operational priorities to our stakeholders in 2025 onwards. Huge congratulations Matt for all you have achieved for the environment this year.

-        A new PHD leader at University of Auckland has started and reached out to us to connect about research outputs in the Environmental and Clean Tech space. We hope to support researchers to generate new knowledge about Te Hōno’s outputs and impacts.

-        We were an ECOfest site this year, but had no registrations from their website. Kaipatiki Ecofest lead has been in touch and will support us to advertise more successfully next year.

-        We have enrolled for the global ‘Make a Difference to Nature Week’. Currently we think we are the only restoration from Aotearoa to do so, so keen to raise the profile for next year.

-        We are attending the all-day Northern Te Taiao network meeting this month and look forward to connecting with our peers, learning how to do things better and make improvements to our processes. We find it inspiring to catch up with other local restoration groups and get great ideas from people working in this space. Thank you to Auckland Council for making networking at this level possible.

-        We were forwarded excellent education collateral to promote caring for NZ Frogs from the NZ Frogs website. If you are working in conservation, please check out the fliers, they are high quality and able to be printed to share with students or your community.

-        The protection of Hochstetter's Frogs has come to our attention. Louis, UWEN Pest Manager, is supporting our understanding of the need to protect NZ frog species. Elouise is attending the Rail Trail meetings and will feedback more information on this focus as the team develops a response

-        We are excited to be receiving the first 1,000 natives sponsored by Trees that Count from Shrub, Puhoi. Their natives are in great condition and survive well in our area.

-        While Fulton Hogan's clearance and mulching of the apex site is on hold, we are very thankful to have fresh pine mulch and organic coir by product from local SMEs to convert waste biomass to compost for our planting season. This year, we are using the last two tonnes of our 22 tonnes of 2022 compost to plant 2,500 natives across 2022, 2023, 2024 infilling and a new area where the chickens are going to be busy clearing morning glory. The chicken enclosure is a tough planting site. Louis and Theo recommend trialling planting above the concrete surface areas with the harakeke we have grown from seed. We will report back to you on how that strategy performs next year.

-        We have additional plants coming from our seed whakapapa programme at Settlers, 10 Matai gifted to us from Theo, our Park Ranger, and 1,000 more natives gifted from Bupa. With more than 2,500 natives to infill the restoration and begin planting in kikuyu on the 2025 slopes, we are thrilled. Once the chickens clear out the morning glory, they will be shifted around the corner to manage the kikuyu for the remainder of the year.

-        The 700 harakeke seedlings that Wilson School and the seed whakapapa team at Kristin School have raised will be cared for in the new shade house until we plant them along the new riparian section in 2026.

-        We have consulted a biocontrol expert and plan to find the Tradescantia biocontrol beetle and fungus to inoculate our problem patch with a group of students in 2025. Please let us know if your students might be interested in the use of biocontrol.

-        We are seeking bat echolocation and bird count leaders if you would like to contribute toward the restoration in this way, please reach out!

-        With the coir compost from Grow My Greens we are looking to make two rotating garden sieves/trommels. If you have the capacity to design one of these for Te Hono and Arocha (Unsworth) please connect with us! There is more information on this YouTube video. Arocha has producing amazing compost with the byproduct within 8 weeks of composting, so a quick turnaround.

-        Northcross Intermediate has been in contact with us regarding planting. We look forward to welcoming them to the site and hope that we can develop the relationship with them.

-        We attended an entertaining trapping presentation lead by Cam Speedy, a hugely successful NZ trapper. Thanks to UWEN for providing ongoing networking and learning opportunities for us to learn and improve our knowledge and skills.

-        Amelia from Mayne Wetherell is continuing to support us to transition to ani incorporated society, with background data continuing to be collected across May in readiness for June meetings. We are indebted to the organisation for helping us transition.

-        Long Bay restoration leader, Gareth, has connected with us. We look forward to meeting with peers and working together to develop blue green spatial corridors across the rohe.

-        Elouise continues to work with student leaders across plant mapping, pest plant removal, restoration and trapping working bees each week. We thank Elouise for her extensive knowledge and leadership and all our youth leaders and volunteers for the immense impact they make weekly for nature and for future generations. They do an extraordinary job, often unseen, and we are in awe of their passion and expertise.

-        On the last Saturday in May, we finally welcomed the chickens back. This time we have an older set of hens that are more likely to use the coop across Winter. Whilst they may less eggs per day, they will be warmer than the flock who were hesitant to use the coop and they achieve the same inground composting and weed clearance as the younger hens. Huge thanks to Svea, Untangled Landscapes for caring for the hens since December 2024 while we waited out the drought. It's exciting to welcome the chooks back and for the chicken team to reactivate. If you wish to help care for the chickens we need a carer to cover for Thursdays please!

Ngā mihi nui, thank you all for every action you have taken to regenerate the native bush within Rosedale Park or for your work in building the community food garden using waste biomass.

We look forward to connecting with you with the community garden build or with planting and caring for the natives from Matariki onwards.