Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor volunteer days

Want to help create a living legacy for our city? Our planting season takes place over autumn through winter from May to August.

We work with other partners to make this legacy a reality. Contact RRZRangers@ccc.govt.nz.

Waikākāriki/Horseshoe Lake

Waikākāriki/Horseshoe Lake was the site of a significant settlement called Te Oranga. A tributary to the Ōtākaro, Waikākāriki was rich in wildlife and natural resources and was a significant site for mahinga kai.

Conservation Volunteers New Zealand will be hosting several public planting days to restore the wetland areas along the New Brighton Road edge.  

June:

• Thursday 19 June, 1pm to 4pm – National Volunteer Week

July:

• Thursday 3 July, 1pm to 4pm
• Saturday 5 July, 1pm to 4pm
• Tuesday 8 July, 1pm to 4pm
• Thursday 17 July, 1pm to 4pm
• Saturday 19 July, 1pm to 4pm
• Thursday 24 July, 1pm to 4pm
• Thursday 31 July, 1pm to 4pm

August:

• Thurs 7 August, 1pm to 4pm
• Tues 12 August, 1pm to 4pm
• Saturday 16 August, 1pm to 4pm
• Tues 19 August, 1pm to 4pm
• Thursday 28 August, 1pm to 4pm
• Saturday 30 August, 1pm to 4pm

Register via CVNZ website(external link).

Dallington Landing - Rotary Forest of Peace and Remembrance

Conservation Volunteers New Zealand are returning to Dallington Landing this Autumn/Winter to extend the Forest of Peace and Remembrance with an additional 10,000 trees. 

April:

• Saturday 12 April  10am to 1pm
• Thursday 17 April, 10am to 1pm

May:

• Saturday 3 May, 10am to 1pm
• Thursday 8 May, 10am to 1pm
• Saturday 17 May, 10am to 1pm
• Thursday 22 May, 10am to 1pm

June:

• Thurs 5 June, 1pm to 4pm, 
• Saturday 7 June, 1pm to 4pm – Plant for Pride

Register via CVNZ website(external link).

Corser Stream – Burwood

The red zone ranger team are leading a new planting project on the west side of Corser Stream. This falls within the area known as Ōruapaeroa. 

There is opportunity for some infill planting - events can be organised with groups on request; minimum ten people.

Ōruapaeroa/Travis was a traditional kāinga (settlement), which included the wetlands surrounding the Ōtākaro/Avon and Ōpāwaho/Heathcote rivers.

These wetlands supported abundant native fish and birdlife, and the site was an important mahinga kai nohoanga (seasonal food landing).

Contact: RRZRangers@ccc.govt.nz.

Avon-Ōtākaro Forest Park - Brooker Forest planting

The public is welcome to join in these community-led events under the auspice of Avon-Ōtākaro Network:

Dates to be confirmed.

Contact:  avonotakaro@gmail.com.

Eco-Action Nursery Trust planting days

The public is welcome to work alongside the students and organisers of these future forest planting events in Chimera Crescent/Atlantis Street, accessed off Travis Road.

• Sunday 18 May, 10am to midday 
• Sunday 15 June, 10am to midday
• Sunday 27 July, 10am to midday
• Sunday 31 August, 10am to midday

Contact: ecoactionnt@gmail.com.

Autumn and spring maintenance

This is a critical step in any restoration project – releasing the plants by weeding the long grass around each one and adding mulch. This allows each plant to access the sunlight and water they need to thrive and grow.

We are working with Conservation Volunteers New Zealand to support this important work at Cedarwood, Amelia Rogers and Waikākāriki/Goodmans. We welcome group inquiries for De Ville Place/Waikākāriki and Belair Close, Burwood.

Contact:

• RRZRangers@ccc.govt.nz
• christchurch@cvnz.org.nz

Swanns Road wildlife garden weekly working bee

Join regular community volunteers for just an hour of gardening in our wildlife display garden on the corner of Swanns Road and River Road. 

Every Friday morning from 9am to 10am throughout March and April.

Organised by We are Richmond – register your interest on their Facebook event(external link). 

Contact for more information: Sarah.Mankelow@ccc.govt.nz 

Waikākāriki Horseshoe Lake – Goodmans Road

Conservation Volunteers New Zealand are helping restore this culturally significant site – Waikākāriki/Horseshoe Lake. 

Maintenance is finished at this site for autumn – stay tuned for planting dates over winter. 

Contact: christchurch@cvnz.org.nz

Cedarwood Reserve

When:

• Thursday 20 March 9.30am
• Thursday 27 March 9.30am

Register: Register with CVNZ (conservationvolunteers.co.nz)(external link)

Contact: christchurch@cvnz.org.nz

Amelia Rogers Reserve

Amelia Rogers Reserve is in the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor, on residential red zone land, Ōtautahi East. Amelia Rogers was a local identity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, running the post office from her home at 348 New Brighton Road.

We'll supply tools. Please bring your own gardening gloves, wear sturdy footwear, long sleeves and pants, and bring a water bottle. 

When:

• Thursday 13 March 9.30am

Register: Register with CVNZ (conservationvolunteers.co.nz)(external link)

Contact: christchurch@cvnz.org.nz

Dallington Landing

 Dallington Landing is the site of a Rotary Forest of Peace and Remembrance, planted by CVNZ volunteers in 2022 and 2023 as part of Rotary's centennial celebrations. 

When: Stay tuned for 2025 dates.

Register: Register with CVNZ (conservationvolunteers.co.nz)(external link)

Contact: christchurch@cvnz.org.nz

5000 trees at Deville Place

This is the perfect site for any schools looking to fulfil their community service hours and October to December is a great time to come together and do some spring or summer maintenance. 

Contact the red zone team if you are interested in bringing your team to this site to make a real contribution to the restoration of this culturally significant site – Waikākāriki/Horseshoe Lake. 

Contact:  RRZRangers@ccc.govt.nz

Di Madgin's heritage garden

Support Avon Ōtākaro Network with the maintenance of this peaceful oasis, which was once the home garden of legendary gardening journalist Di Madgin.

When: Stay tuned for 2025 dates

Register: Register with CVNZ (conservationvolunteers.co.nz)(external link)

Contact: christchurch@cvnz.org.nz

Port Hills red zone – 186 Bridle Path Road

Support some tree rescue at this lush site in Heathcote Valley. 1000 trees need releasing and mulching to ensure their survival - what a great way to take a break from your desk. 

When: TBD

Contact: Sarah.Mankelow@ccc.govt.nz 

Please wear long sleeves and pants and bring:

• Appropriate clothing for any weather: sunhat, warm jacket and raincoat.  
• Sturdy footwear or gumboots.
• Work gloves.
• Water bottle and sunscreen.

Tools are supplied.

For further information contact parks.volunteers@ccc.govt.nz.

At 602 hectares, the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor regeneration area is three-and-a-half times larger than Hagley Park. 

Although this will be a generational project that’s likely to take between 30 and 50 years to fully develop, we encourage people to visit and connect with the land that once held more than 5,000 homes.

The Green Spine will form the core of the regeneration area. At 11km long, it will follow the Ōtākaro Avon River and feature swathes of restored native habitat, trails, paths, footbridges, community spaces, and riverside landings that provide access to the water and local information about the area.

Over the past few years, Council staff, organisations and volunteers have planted tens of thousands of native trees throughout the Green Spine, as we begin bringing the vision of an ecologically-restored river corridor to life. 

Some of the larger ecological planting projects you can get involved in include:

• The Rotary Peace, Remembrance and Community Forests Trust is a centennial initiative – marking the founding of Rotary in Aotearoa New Zealand in 1921. This forest planting is located within the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor regeneration project, known as the Green Spine, beside one of the key riverside landing areas.  
• Environmental charity Trees That Count pledged 10,000 native trees in support of The Press-backed campaign for Christchurch to be recognised as a National Park City(external link) – a greener, healthier, and wilder place to live. Half of these were planted into a 1.4-hectare space bordering Waikākāriki-Horseshoe Lake(external link).
• Avon-Ōtākaro Forest Park(external link) has a vision to transform the Avon River Red Zone into a vibrant, city-to-sea native forest park along the Ōtākaro Avon River. They have a number of small pocket parks but Brooker Ave is their key site.