Love Our Wetlands – Waiheke
Explore the wetlands of Waiheke
Volunteer with us
Volunteers have been working with the Waiheke Resources Trust on removing invasive weeds from the wetlands and planting native trees. The support of volunteers and the Waiheke community plays a huge part in the success of the project.
Why are wetlands important?
Annual report
Volunteer groups
Love Our Wetlands welcomes corporate and community groups from across Aotearoa who looking to engage with environmental community projects.
We can assist with planning your travel to and around Waiheke, and can also arrange visits to local vineyards or attractions should you wish to make the most of your visit.
With the help of our generous sponsor, Fullers, we offer volunteer groups a 50% discount on adult return ferry travel.
Once on the island, our knowledgeable Volunteer Coordinators will meet your group at Matiatia wharf and journey out to one of the 7 wetlands that WRT looks after - Te Matuku, Rangihoua, Te Whau, Okahuiti, Te Huruhi Bay Reserve, Owhanake or Matiatia. Once at the wetland, the day will be spent planting; tree releasing; removing weeds; learning about local history, native plants, animal and fish species;and all about our amazing natural resources - wetlands!
To book a volunteer day, email kristin@wrt.org.nz or fill out our volunteering form.
Our partners
Waiheke Local Board
Waiheke Local Board is our founding funder and has been supporting the project since 2015. The Local Board has contributed $150,000 to the project each year through its restoration contract. Through this partnership, WRT has leveraged other sources of funding to amplify our restoration work.
Million Metres
Million Metres is Aotearoa’s only dedicated programme for connecting local waterway restoration projects with large scale funding and resources. It set out on a mission to restore at least one million metres of waterways across Aotearoa.
In 2017 WRT began its partnership with Million Metres and to date has run 4 campaigns raising a total of $12,4988.20. You can support the current campaign here.
Trees that Count
Trees that Count is a conservation charity bringing together business, community and everyday Kiwis, with the vision of helping plant millions of native trees across the country. Trees that Count and their donors have donated a total of 17,812 native trees to LOWW since 2016.
Fullers
Fullers has provided subsidised ferry transport for our LOWW volunteer groups since 2016, helping bring people over to nurture and love our wetlands on Waiheke.
Sustainable Business Network - Partnering to Plant
In August 2020 WRT partnered with SBN to deliver the Partnering to Plant (P2P) project with Jobs for Nature government funding. The project expands the ecological restoration work of LOWW and supports a thriving, resilient community by providing the equivalent of 10 full time jobs to those that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
One Billion Trees
Aotearoa's government developed the One Billion Trees Programme to increase tree planting across Aotearoa. The goal is to double the current planting rate to reach one billion trees planted by 2028. WRT was successful in its two year application and received $91,248.00 to support the planting of 10,000 trees in 2021.
Auckland Council
Auckland Council’s Community Coordination and Facilitation Grant provides support for community conservation coordinators to strategically increase collaboration, capacity and on the ground delivery of projects across Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland). In 2020 WRT was successful in a two year application to this grant to the value of $50,000. This fund supports the LOWW corporate and community volunteer programme.
