Student journalist Fareh Farhan talks to Zelie Jones about her role as a chicken carer youth leader for Te Hōnonga a Iwi Restoring Rosedale Park.
Rangitoto College student Zelie Jones’ volunteer journey with Te Hōnonga a Iwi started with a simple school notice advertising an opportunity to become a chicken carer youth leader.
Already passionate about animals and eager to gain hands-on experience, Zelie seized the opportunity. What she didn’t expect was just how much these chickens and the community built around them would shape her perspective on conservation and sustainability.
As chicken carer leader, Zelie’s role goes beyond just feeding and looking after the birds. She’s responsible for ensuring they’re healthy and happy, getting more people involved and constantly finding new ways to improve the programme for both the chickens and the community. It’s a unique position, blending animal care with environmental restoration and it’s something she’s proud to be part of.
And, yes, the chickens do way more than just scratch around. They play a key role in the restoration efforts by clearing out sections overrun with invasive species and turning the soil into fertile ground for native plants. It’s a natural, low-impact way to regenerate the land and it has completely changed the way Zelie sees conservation. She loves that something as simple as chickens can make such a huge difference and she hopes more people come to appreciate their unexpected role in environmental restoration.
But for Zelie, the best part of the experience has been the people. Seeing volunteers connect with the chickens, with the land and with each other has been incredibly rewarding. It’s a reminder that restoration isn’t just about fixing the environment. It’s also about bringing people together, creating shared experiences and building a community that cares.
Her time with Te Hōnonga a Iwi has also shaped Zelie’s goals for the future. She hopes to pursue a career in wildlife conservation and this role has given her the confidence and vision to take that dream seriously. It’s shown her that there’s more than one way to approach a challenge such as sustainability and that innovative, out-of-the-box solutions, such as using chickens, can have a surreal impact.
For anyone thinking about getting involved in environmental leadership, Zelie’s advice is simple. “Just go for it. You never know what doors it might open, what people you’ll meet, or how much you’ll grow from the experience.”
And, as she’s learned firsthand, even the smallest contributions, whether it’s planting a tree, caring for an animal, or just showing up, can help create real change.
Looking ahead, Zelie hopes more people will step into roles like hers, embracing the connection between animals, people and the environment. Because at the end of the day, restoration is about the land, but it's also about the relationships and skills we build along the way.
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