Navigation for Our Changing World

Kapiti Coast biodiversity project

Residents on the Kapiti Coast, north of Wellington, are working together to improve biodiversity. Inspired by the success of nearby predator-free Kapiti Island, they are hoping to create thriving ecosystems and safe homes for wildlife in local wild spaces such as Queen Elizabeth Park and Whareroa farm. Alison Ballance spends a day finding out about weta houses, bird counts, rare dune plants, stream restoration and predator trapping with some of the many keen volunteers.

Steve Whitton with one of only two shore coprosma (Coprosma acerosa) plants in Queen Elizabeth Park photo Alison Ballance

This male sand coprosma plant in Queen Elizabeth park is being eroded into the sea photo Alison Ballance

Shore bidibidi seedlings photo Alison Ballance

Foliage of the divaricating sand coprosma photo Alison Ballance

Sue Blaikie and a penguin box tucked amongst flax in the sand dunes photo Alison Ballance

Michael Stace checks a stoat and rat trap photo Alison Ballance

Paul Callister with new technology that helps monitor all the predator trapping photo Alison Ballance

A map of all the predator trap locations in Queen Elizabeth park photo Alison Ballance

A replanted area and public track on Whareroa Farm Park photo Alison Ballance

Jan Nisbet in the kohekohe forest with a weta house photo Alison Ballance

Wellington tree weta in a weta house photo Alison Ballance

Kohekohe flowers are a sign of effective possum trapping photo Alison Ballance

Jean Fleming and ngaio replanted along a ditch on the farm at Queen Elizabeth park photo Alison Ballance

Willows replanted along a silty weedy farm stream with the aim of shading out weeds photo Alison Ballance

The images in this gallery are used with permission and are subject to copyright conditions.