October 2026 project update
October brought significant progress in building local partnerships, retaining valuable resources within the business district, strengthening research collaborations with AUT, Massey University and University of Auckland, and creating more opportunities for community participation in climate action and ecological restoration. Our work continues to connect land and water based ecological regeneration with social equity, education, and local economic resilience.
We are thrilled to have been selected as one of 10 restorations across Australasia for the BUPA Healthy Cities Campaign, a SBN Next List sustainable innovator. We are also a finalist in the Sustainable Business Network Awards, the Recreation Aotearoa awards, the North Shore Business Excellence awards and nominated for the Volunteering NZ Youth awards. We are very grateful for this level of third-party endorsement for the restoration and iwi, youth and business partners.
Local business partnerships and nature-based solutions
Significant gains were made in securing four new potential business waste hub hosts who recognise the value of retaining waste biomass locally to support business sustainability and develop nature-based solutions. We thank these prospective partners for their courage and vision.
Funding from the Waste Minimisation Grant has enabled innovation to retain local value, improve soil health, promote freshwater quality throughout the catchment, and scale greening across the industrial heat island and Alexander Catchment. Kristin School has committed to growing 5,000 free native plants to offer small businesses for greening their properties or green corridors with support from Te Hōnonga a Iwi.
These initiatives support climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity, freshwater, air and soil health, community wellbeing and local economic resilience, while helping address heat, drought, flood and fire risks. By connecting business sustainability with catchment restoration, we aim to demonstrate how local action can deliver perpetual short, medium and long-term benefits for both nature and society.
Welcoming partners and strengthening inclusion
We welcomed back long-term partners Gurit and Springer Health, alongside new partners Life Community and Oxygen Consulting. These organisations work to increase social equity and support the ability of local people and businesses to adapt to climate change.
We also welcomed stakeholders from refugee and ethnic communities. We hope to learn from their experiences and perspectives to improve our services to people and the planet. Building relationships across diverse communities remains central to creating an inclusive, connected and climate-resilient future.
Growing our operational and community capacity
We welcomed Miriam Scott to the Te Hōnonga a Iwi operations team as Working Bee Coordinator and Business Activator. Miriam has completed a Bachelor of Global Studies (Sustainable Development) at the University of Auckland and the Cambridge University Business Sustainability Management Course. Having volunteered with the restoration for four years, she brings valuable experience and commitment to the role. Miriam also offers 20 voluntary hours per week until she secures additional paid roles.
During October, our restoration programme included 33 working bees, alongside daily chicken care and two restoration tours. These activities help maintain the restoration site, support community participation across seven local sectors and provide opportunities for people, organisations and businesses to connect with ecological regeneration in practice.
We continued to promote freshwater quality throughout the catchment as an important part of our commitment to iwi request to do better for the awa. Our sustainable, More-than-Human nature-based solutions approach improves soil health, regenerates ngahere, increases biodiversity, the circular economy, local climate resilience and climate positive goals.
Research, design and educational development
Our education and research partnerships continue to create opportunities for evidence-based climate action, best practice and practical learning.
University of Auckland Capstone Design students have invested this year in supporting stronger connections between businesses and the restoration through improved wayfinding, outreach across the industrial heat island, community activation and the development of new products focused on decarbonisation and regeneration. We thank the University and its young designers for investing in Te Hōnonga a Iwi and helping connect restoration with future stakeholders. Stakeholders interested in the students’ work are encouraged to visit the ReDesign Exhibition on 6–7 November, from 9 am to 5 pm, at the University of Auckland Engineering Building.
Our partnership with AUT continues to strengthen, with three additional research opportunities identified to improve the services we offer to regenerate nature and support health and resilience within our society. Funding applications have been submitted to support youth wellbeing and older adults’ health and belonging. We thank AUT ReGen for its partnership, vision and shared commitment to imagining a better future together.
During October, we also directly supported three student research projects, strengthening the connection between education, research and practical restoration. These opportunities help students apply their knowledge and skills to real-world environmental and community challenges while contributing to the development of our services.
Sharing knowledge and recognising achievement
We continued sharing our approach to community-led ecological regeneration and climate action, including presentations to Aktiv and Rotary. These opportunities help build awareness, strengthen relationships and encourage wider participation in local sustainability and climate action initiatives.
Our work has also received international, national and regional award recognition, highlighting the value of our holistic integrated approach to ecological restoration, community engagement and local resilience.
Summer internships and restoration health
We launched our voluntary summer internship programme to help young people apply their knowledge and skills to restoration, strengthen career pathways and positively contribute to outcomes for nature and society.
The 2026 summer internships focus on film, lizard habitats, marketing, policy development, urban heat and catchment research. Please share this opportunity with interested applicants:
We also wish to highlight concerns about the decline of Tānekaha trees in Fernhill Reserve. Auckland Council is undertaking significant surveillance and testing to better understand the cause. Park users are asked to stay on marked tracks and keep dogs on designated paths to help protect affected areas while assessments continue. Thank you for your help with biosecurity while the experts work to gather more information.
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