Conservation Week / Te Wiki o Te Taiao
Conservation Week / Te Wiki o Te Taiao
Join us during Conservation Week for a free community display celebrating the incredible conservation work happening across Northland.
Visit the Activity Centre at the Hundertwasser Art Centre from Tuesday (21 April 2026) to Sunday (26 April 2026) to learn more about local organisations protecting our environment
Participating organisations include:
Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust
Since 2001, Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust has had a clear mission: inspire and support grassroots conservation. We work with schools, communities, government, and other organisations to plan and deliver on-the-ground action in freshwater and marine environments across Aotearoa. From life-changing snorkel experiences to wraparound catchment group support, we connect Kiwis to their waterways and sow the seeds of long-term restorative action.
For more information: https://www.mountainstosea.org.nz/
Predator Free Whangārei
Predator Free Whangārei is a collaborative project between local community groups, private landowners and government agencies to restore our native flora and fauna.
Our project builds on decades of community conservation efforts and is working towards getting rid of every last possum, for good! The project area covers 9,000+ hectares in the Whangārei Heads area, from Bream Head to Parua Bay.
For more information: https://predatorfreewhangarei.nz/
Join our talks:
Date: 22 April
Time: 1 pm
Tech with Zac
Join Predator Free Whangārei Operations Lead, Zac Coffin, for a fun chat about the cool tech supporting their possum elimination project.
As one of the key mainland Predator Free 2050 landscape projects, Predator Free Whangārei has been chosen to trial some of the latest in trapping and monitoring technology. Zac will be showcasing a few of the cool news tools we have been trialling such as the AT520-AI - a high-tech, self-resetting, self-rebaiting, multi-species, trap that can run unaided for over three months without needing servicing or clearing.
Date: 23 April
Time: 10:30 am
Conservation Dog power team
Meet our Conservation Dog Team, Gaelyn and Shaka, and learn how our possum scat detection dog is helping us track down the last possums!
Biosecurity Officer Gaelyn Dewhurst and her dog Shaka are Predator Free Whangārei in-house certified detection dog team. Shaka, a friendly 3-year-old Hungarian Vizsla x German Short Haired Pointer (GSP), is one of the very few Certified Possum Scat Detection Dogs in the country. Shaka’s sharp nose is already bringing great outcomes to our project, helping to find and trap some hard-to-get possums.
F.O.R.C.E. - For Our Real Clean Environment
For Our Real Clean Environment is a charitable trust working with Whangārei communities to help restore and care for the natural environment. Their focus is on practical action and waste minimisation—supporting people to get involved in activities that reduce litter, keep reusable items in circulation, and strengthen community connection.
They run Love Whangārei Monthly Clean Up, which brings volunteers together for 2 hours once a month to remove waste from local environments. They also operate He Awhi Rito Envirohub, a community space that hosts environmental organisations and provides workshop and hot-desking facilities to support collaboration and learning. In addition, they deliver Repair Cafe Whangārei—monthly events where people come together to repair broken household items for a koha, helping reduce waste while sharing skills and supporting one another.
For more information: https://www.force.org.nz/
NĪSP – Whitebait Connection
Nicholas joined the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust (MTSCT) in March 2021 and now leads the National Īnanga Spawning Program (NĪSP). With M.Sc. degrees in Marine Science and Osteopathy, he brings strong academic and practical knowledge to freshwater conservation. A lifelong love of water, sparked by a childhood stream, drives his passion. Supporting hapū, iwi, and communities to protect local waterways is a privilege he values deeply.
Since 2001, MTSCT has been connecting people with nature through inspiring education and hands-on action. A small and bold initiative that started in Northland has grown into four national programmes (Wai Connection, Experiencing Marine Reserves, Whitebait Connection, National Īnanga Spawning Programme) that are now delivered across Aotearoa. This is in part a response to New Zealanders' increasing demand to learn about and protect their waterways but it is also due to our unique approach - to empower people everywhere to care for their local freshwater and marine environments.
The National Īnanga Spawning Programme (NĪSP) represents a collaborative nationwide effort to identify, monitor, protect, and restore īnanga spawning habitat across Aotearoa New Zealand. The NĪSP team work alongside regional and territorial authorities, community groups, and tangata whenua, building upon a rich history of īnanga conservation to enhance spawning success and safeguard these taonga species for future generations.
For more information:
https://www.mountainstosea.org.nz/national-programmes/whitebait-connection
Kiwi Coast
Kiwi Coast helps projects work together and link up, creating New Zealand's first kiwi corridor.
You can help Northland's wild kiwi roam freely...
TRAP, LISTEN, CONNECT
For more information: https://kiwicoast.org.nz/
Each organisation will have a display highlighting who they are, the amazing work they do and how they are helping to protect our natural environment.
Visitors are invited to explore the displays, learn about conservation efforts in our region, and share their own stories of connecting with nature.
Entry is free and everyone is welcome.
Come along and be inspired to Take Action for Nature.