Ngā Uruora - Kāpiti Project

Ngā Uruora – the groves of life – is a community conservation project on the Kāpiti Coast

We have a big work programme and an even bigger vision. Ngā Uruora – Kāpiti Project was established in 1997 to halt and reverse the decline of coastal forest on the Kāpiti – Porirua coast.

While the focus of Ngā Uruora has shifted over the years, the core activities of planting, weeding and pest control have continued. Over recent years, as other community conservation groups have formed around us, activities have become geographically constrained to a 292 hectare strip of land between Paekākāriki and Pukerua Bay.

This area contains the Paekākāriki Escarpment, recognised as an Outstanding Natural Landscape (ONL) under the Resource Management Act and in accordance with the Greater Wellington Regional Policy Statement.

Within this ONL exists the Paekākāriki Escarpment Key Natural Ecosystem (KNE) which is 118 ha of land that straddles the boundary between the Kāpiti Coast District and Porirua City councils’ jurisdictions. The KNE site comprises an exposed, steep coastal escarpment and contains remnant and regenerating coastal forests, grey scrub, and flaxland. The majority of the KNE site is legally protected, either by agreement between KiwiRail and the QEII National Trust, or through being within local council road reserve and recreation reserve designations.

Working with our partners at Whareroa Farm Reserve and Queen Elizabeth Regional Park our vision is to tap into the phenomenal success of pest control on Kāpiti and Mana Islands – bringing back tui, bellbirds, kereru, kākā and kākāriki. Members and volunteers are our greatest asset. Join us and be part of our award winning conservation project:

protecting & restoring Kāpiti’s unique kohekohe forest
re-establishing coastal forests, scrub and flaxland through planting programmes
undertaking pest and weed control.

Predator free New Zealand “It’s crazy and ambitious, but I think it might be worth a shot”

Sir Paul Callaghan