Volunteer in a park

Find out about the local volunteer groups you can join to help beautify our parks.

About volunteering

Many volunteers in Hutt City donate their time and expertise to help keep our local parks and reserves beautiful. Some groups have regular working bees that are open to everyone or as one-off events.

The main activities these groups work on are:

  • pest control
  • trail building
  • rubbish collection
  • restoration planting and maintenance.

A Rocha is an international Christian organisation focused on environmental research, education and community-based conservation projects.

Since 2012, the Hutt Valley subgroup has been working to restore the degraded wetland at the south end of Waiu Park in Wainuiomata, in partnership with Hutt City Council and Forest & Bird. The group has been working on clearing blackberry and gorse, and planting on average 300 native species per year.

Contact details

The Waiu Wetland project is located at the base of the Wainuiomata Hill Road, at the end of Waiu Street. Blackberry, gorse, willow, hawthorn, holly, Himalayan and Japanese honeysuckle andwattle have become established over time, along with some emergent natives. Working bees are on Mondays, running from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

Contact details

Volunteers plant the fore-dune sand binding species, Spinifex and pingao, as well as some native back dune plants like Phormium cookianum, Coprosma solandri and knobby club rush. Other work includes ongoing maintenance, weeding and releasing.

Friends of Petone Beach hold working bees on the first and third Thursdays each month. Work includes planting, weeding and releasing. Friends meet at 9am, usually near the Petone wharf - look for the flag. The Eastenders group carries out beach cleaning and dune planting near Patrick Street.

Contact details

Friends of Waiwhetū Stream was established in November 2011, having evolved from the earlier Waiwhetū Stream Action Group. The group’s vision is that, “Waiwhetū Stream is a healthy, functioning ecosystem treasured and enjoyed by our community.”

The group organises activities such as planting days, weeding and rubbish collection along the stream banks, and removal of Cape pondweed from the stream channel. Rubbish collection takes place on the first weekend of each month. Volunteers are always welcome.

Contact details

The Korokoro Environmental Group (KEG) advocates for and protects Korokoro’s environment. The group’s main activities are working on restoring and sustaining bush reserves by weeding and planting and undertaking pest monitoring in Korokoro Valley. They've also led community opposition to the proposed Petone Grenada link road which would destroy or harm the Korokoro Valley environment.

Contact details

Website: KEG website

The Manor Park group is working to establish an eco-corridor across the Hutt Valley at Silverstream. Volunteers help with the removal of weeds - mainly blackberry, gorse, and grass on the northern end of the Manor Park Golf Course, KiwiRail land, Hutt City Council reserve, and some riverside land administered by Greater Wellington. The group meets Tuesday mornings from 9.30am, with a break at around 11am for morning tea.

Contact details

This group has been active in the reserve since 2011. They hold regular working bees to weed and plant, as well as partnering with schools to educate students on the importance of protecting local biodiversity. Working bees are mostly on the second Sunday of every month, running from 9am to 12pm.

Contact details

Te Mome Stream near Petone had a reputation as one of New Zealand’s most polluted streams, but cleanup work by the Friends has helped to rebuild the stream's ecology.

Contact details

Website: Friends of Te Mome Stream

Friends of Haywards Scenic Reserve in Waiwhetū  work to help maintain and enhance the historic and indigenous natural features of the reserve and adjoining slopes. The group's activities include track maintenance, pest weed control and replanting native trees where needed.

Contact details

Pareraho Forest is a rugged area of the Western Hills that rises from Te Awa Kairangi to the summit of Boulder Hill and includes the suburbs of Belmont and Kelson. Pareraho Forest volunteers  are involved with advocacy, track/picnic area maintenance, predator control, guided walks, weeding and more.

Contact details

Volunteers work in Waiu Park, Wainuiomata to provide trails suitable for mountain biking, walking and other recreational uses for the local community and the Greater Wellington region. The trails are located in two valleys above Parkway on the eastern side of the Hills between Lower Hutt and Wainuiomata. Dig and maintenance days are every second Saturday morning, some Sundays and Thursday evenings in summer.

Contact details