Featured Activities
Te Kākano Aotearoa Trust is a Wānaka community-based, non-profit plant nursery that raises plants of local origin for native habitat restoration.
The native plants in New Zealand are vital to the environment here. Their roots protect the land from erosion and help to reduce flooding. They also provide food for native birds. On a larger scale, of course, plants absorb carbon dioxide and forests create powerful “carbon sinks” that help to combat climate change.
Te Kākano believes that not only is restoration important for the land, but it is also important for the people. By engaging the community in their initiative, particularly the younger generations, Te Kākano hopes to foster a care for this place and a legacy of conservation.
If you’re a visitor, this is one of the simplest ways to contribute to the restoration project.
Head out for a walk along the lakeside (try the Millennium Track!) and be sure to keep your eyes open for Te Kākano’s signage and giant drums of water. They’re massive and are situated directly on the side of the track.
The drums are full of water and have a bucket that you can use to water the plants in the surrounding area. Try to water the plants furthest away from the drum, as these are usually the ones that get the least amount of watering.
Te Kākano sources seeds and cuttings from naturally-occurring vegetation close to where the new natives will eventually be replanted. This is because these plants are already well-adapted to the climate and soils of this area and will be more likely to survive once planted.
While volunteering at the nursery, you’ll learn propagation and cultivation techniques, leading on to how to plant and nurture young plants in the wild.
The Trust grows between 10,000 and 15,000 plants every year. If you don’t have time to volunteer, consider donating to the organisation through their website.
