The volunteer programme restores and maintains native forest in designated areas of the Port Hills.

Port Hills volunteer planting; photo Neil MacBeth.

Port Hills Reserves Volunteer Days

Winter planting

Our winter planting is over for the season. 

Spring maintenance

Keen to help native plants survive the summer? Our spring maintenance days are on at four sites:

Date Time Location Meeting point
Saturday 3 October 12.45pm to 3.15pm Eastside Car park behind Victoria Park Visitor Centre
Saturday 10 October 12.45pm to 3.15pm Dry Bush Park at the top of Huntsbury Ave then walk up the 4WD track to the site
Saturday 17 October 12.45pm to 3.15pm Kennedy's Bush Summit Road car park, opposite Sign of the Bellbird
Saturday 31 October 12.45pm to 3.15pm Latters Spur Car park behind Victoria Park Visitor Centre

 Due to Level 2 restrictions there will be no car pooling this spring season or sharing of gloves. Please bring your own gloves and drinking water.   Hedge clippers will be provided but feel free to bring your own.

 

Mahoe-nui Bush Restoration Project

Forest and Bird and Sumner Environment group are working with the Council rangers to restore native bush to this reserve behind Sumner. All working bees are at the lower Mahoe-nui site.

  • Saturday 7 November, 9.15am to 11.30am (postponement day 21 November)

Meet at 9am on the corner of Wakefield Ave and Colenso street in Sumner to carpool up to the site.

Please ring Helen Hills 02102326155 for more information or read more about the project. (external link)

Join Christchurch City Council Rangers for planting and maintenance days across the seasons in our unique and stunning Port Hills.

Volunteers plant native trees each winter and maintain them in spring and autumn to reduce competition from grass.

Maintenance is the most critical part of ecological restoration success. Without regular maintenance for the first three years, plants wouldn't survive due to grass competition.

Under Level 2 restrictions we can't provide shared gloves so please bring your own. 

What to bring

  • Weather appropriate clothing – layers, rain jacket, hat
  • Sturdy footwear for hill work
  • Gardening gloves
  • Hedge clippers (if you have your own but these will also be provided)
  • Water bottle and a snack.

 Where to meet

Due to Level 2 restrictions there will be no car pooling as we usually do.

For Latters Spur and Eastside Bush: meet at the car park behind Victoria Park Visitor Centre no later than 12.45pm. We will walk from here to the site as a group.

For Kennedy's Bush: from Dyers Pass Road, turn west at the Sign of the Kiwi onto Summit Road and continue approx. 3km to the parking site at Hoon Hay Saddle.

For Dry Bush: park at the top of Huntsbury Avenue, and walk up Huntsbury Track to Dry Bush. Or park on the Summit Road and walk down Huntsbury Track to Dry Bush. There is no parking on the track.

Contact

For more information email Parks.Volunteers@ccc.govt.nz or contact our park ranger Fiona on 027 506 1425 or  fiona.fenton@ccc.govt.nz