The Kāpiti Biodiversity Project covers four main areas: Queen Elizabeth Park, the Paekākāriki-Pukerua Bay Escarpment, the Whareroa Farm Reserve and part of Perkins farm/Middle Run.
We focus on birds (including kororā – little penguins), lizards, weta, rare dune plants and stream restoration.
We meet weekly as a volunteer group to propagate and plant out native plants in the streams and tributaries in Queen Elizabeth Park. We always welcome new volunteers and we are a friendly bunch.
Volunteers can choose to go out to our planting sites to plant natives in winter or do plant and weed release work in summer – or work in the nursery propagating and potting up plants. No particular skills needed! The aims of the project are to provide stream shade, protect fish species, develop bird corridors from the sea to the hills and generally enhance the biodiversity of the Park.
We meet in the nursery at 8.45 am every Tuesday and end with morning tea and chat time at about 11.15 am.
Our biggest thrill lately has been to hear and then see the native fernbird (Matata) This bird has been missing from the Park for many years but has now made a reappearance all by itself – probably moving south from a small population at the Waikanae Estuary. It has a DOC classification of At Risk/Declining so it was special to have them come back to live in the Park. There is more about this shy little bird at: https://www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/fernbird
