Join our community planting days
Join our ranger and biodiversity teams on one of our epic tree-planting days alongside the Waimakariri River.
Native planting provides a wide range of benefits including increasing native biodiversity, creating habitat for native wildlife (insects, reptiles and birds), stabilising soil, recreating ecological corridors, enhancing water quality and landscapes and providing a sense of place in our rivers.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Gill or Brad at duty.ranger@ecan.govt.nz.
Come Plant with Me KidsFest planting - Bailes Island Picnic area
Join our regional park rangers on a planting day at Bailes Island Picnic area on the southern banks of the Waimakariri River. Learn about what we are planting and why we have chosen these plants. We will proceed in light to moderate rain but in the event of heavy rain or flooding the activity will be postponed and you will be advised by text.
Line up:
- Arrive at 10am
- Welcome and briefing
- Planting 10.10am-12 noon
- Free BBQ to follow the planting
- Spades and gloves available but bring your own if you prefer
Where: Bailes Island, Waimakariri River Regional Park, Coutts Island Road, Belfast. The entrance to the picnic area is from Coutts Island Road, Belfast. The event site will be signposted from the park entrance.
What to bring:
- Sturdy, closed-toe shoes that you don’t mind getting a bit muddy, this is critical for Health and Safety considerations. Hiking shoes are great.
- Warm and waterproof clothes. At least one warm top layer and a rain jacket.
- Gloves (we have children and adult gloves available but please bring your own if you have them)
- Sun hat and sunscreen.
- Reusable water bottle, filled up and ready to go.
- A keep cup for the adults with you for tea & coffee.
RSVP: Register for the event
Please stay home if you are unwell.
Community planting - The Sanctuary Wetland
Join us for the first of two volunteer planting days at the Sanctuary Wetland. The wetland is the largest and broadest remaining lowland freshwater complex of floodplain, backswamp, swamp forest and spring-fed stream on the Lower Waimakariri River. Grab your friends and whānau and join us for some shared mahi with a BBQ lunch to finish. The day begins at 10am and will wrap up following lunch at around 1pm.
Line up:
- 9.45am – Arrive on site, tea and coffee available (please bring a keep cup)
- 10am – Welcome
- 10.05am – Safety briefing and planting tutorial
- 12.30pm – Planting ends, lunch BBQ begins
- 1.00pm – Event finished
Where: The Sanctuary Wetland, Lorimas Rd, Waimakariri River Regional Park, Coutts Island Belfast.
How to get there: The entrance is via Lorimas Road off Coutt's Island Road. Take a left when you reach the stopbank and follow the stopbank west until you reach the Rock Spur car park and picnic area. The route will be signposted from the Lorimas Rd Entrance.
What to bring:
- Sturdy, closed-toe shoes that you don’t mind getting a bit muddy, this is critical for Health and Safety considerations. Hiking shoes are great!
- Warm and waterproof clothes. At least one warm top layer and a rain jacket.
- Gloves (we have children and adult gloves available but please bring your own if you have them)
- Sun hat and sunscreen.
- Reusable water bottle, filled up and ready to go.
- A keep cup for tea or coffee.
RSVP: Register for the event
Community planting - Baynons Brake
Join us on World Rivers Day at Baynons Brake for this season's final public planting!
Baynons Brake is a modified river berm area mainly consisting of willow and poplar trees planted for flood protection. Hidden within Baynons Brake is a hotspot of biodiversity known as Baynons Bush. Grab your friends and whānau and join us for some shared mahi with a BBQ lunch to finish. The day begins at 10am and will wrap up following lunch at around 1pm.
Line up:
- 9:45 am – Arrive on site, tea and coffee available (please bring a keep cup)
- 10:00 am – Welcome
- 10.05 am – Safety briefing and planting demonstration
- 12:30 pm – Planting ends, lunch BBQ begins
- 1:00 pm – Finish
Where: TBC - Look out for the blue Regional Park Events flags and our friendly staff in high-vis gear.
How to get there: The entrance to the park is from the entrance is from Baynons Road which runs off Heywards Rd in Clarkville. The event will be signposted from Baynons Rd/Heywards Rd intersection.
What to bring:
- Sturdy, closed-toe shoes that you don’t mind getting a bit muddy, this is critical for Health and Safety considerations. Hiking shoes are great!
- Warm and waterproof clothes. At least one warm top layer and a rain jacket.
- Gloves (we have children and adult gloves available but please bring your own if you have them)
- Sun hat and sunscreen.
- Reusable water bottle, filled up and ready to go.
- A keep cup for tea or coffee.
RSVP: Register for the event
Forest and Bird planting events
Two further plantings are happening at the Sanctuary Wetland on Saturday 13 July and Saturday 17 August 2024 that are run in conjunction with Forest and Bird.
If you are interested in attending one of these, please email Forest and Bird at NorthCanterbury.Branch@forestandbird.org.nz to register.