An aerial view of Whakatāne township and the river.

Care Out There

Care Groups working in the Whakatāne District do a fabulous job in supporting, advocating, coordinating and providing inspiration to the wider public and the Whakatāne District Council on projects and spaces that are important to them.

We currently have a number of formalised Care Groups working on various ongoing projects around the District, with many other groups and individuals doing their bit on track maintenance, rubbish collection, providing edible food growing spaces, carrying out pest control, and looking after projects important to their marae, kindergarten or club activities, to mention just a few.

Thanks to those of you who contribute your time and energy so freely to make Whakatāne District open spaces better. The Council has only a very small Open Spaces team, and your assistance is a great support. If we can’t provide people on the ground, there are many other things the Council can do to support and guide your activities.

Group Profiles

Apanui Saltmarsh Care Group

This group meets on the second Saturday of every month to pick up rubbish around the Apanui Saltmarsh, including Ocean Playground, the Skate Park and the Warren Cole Walkway.

Bird Rescue Whakatāne

The trust receives birds from members of the public, the SPCA, the DOC, the Whakatāne District Council and the two eastern BOP vet practices. Bird Rescue Whakatāne covers the Eastern Bay of Plenty from Otamarakau in the west, Whakatāne inland to Kawerau and eastwards to Ōpōtiki and the East Cape.

Volunteers care for and rehabilitate sick and injured birds, primarily focussing on native species for which they hold a permit to operate from the Department of Conservation (DOC).

  • Bird Rescue telephone: 027 209 0567

Bromeliad Collections Care Group

This is a group of bromeliad and orchid enthusiasts who assist in the planning, planting and care of specialist sub-tropical garden collections around the District.

Coast Care - Eastern Bay of Plenty

Coast Care Eastern Bay of Plenty is a community partnership programme, which uses local knowledge and enthusiasm to restore the form and function of the dunes in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

The Coast Care Coordinator and Coast Care contractors offer advice on reducing and repairing dune damage, help facilitate activities, and supply the volunteers with free resources. The resources include native dune plants, informative brochures, fertilisers and building materials for constructing fences and sand ladders, and of course great morning and afternoon teas on project days!

Edgecumbe - Edit Care Group

A care and beautification group that works on various revegetation, garden and reserve restoration projects around the Edgecumbe area, on Council land and other public spaces.

Forest and Bird - Eastern Bay of Plenty Branch

The Eastern Bay of Plenty branch of Forest and Bird is a group of approximately 200 members that work on wetland, coastal and forest projects in the region that includes Whakatāne, Kawerau and Ōpōtiki.

Forest and Bird has supported the establishment of the Whakatāne Harbour and Waiewe Reserve Restoration Care Groups. It also carries out feral cat control in conjunction with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council at Kohi Point and Mokorua Scenic Reserves.

Volunteers trap pests and monitor shorebirds on council reserves along the Matatā Straight, Opihi, and Port Ōhope, and they are working with the Council to exclude vehicles from nesting sites.

Forest and Bird also has a native plant nursery and advocates for nature throughout the District, including nature interpretation signs. It also funds specific ecological restoration work.

Galatea/Aniwhenua Care Group

This is an active group that has been working hard to advocate for and complete various improvements around Aniwhenua Reserve near Lake Aniwaniwa and the Galatea community.

HALO Whakatāne

HALO Whakatāne is a project which sees a variety of groups, including schools, businesses, iwi, care groups, local and regional government, all working to create an unfenced bird sanctuary in the heart of Whakatāne. HALO is founded on the premise that we can do more together than apart. By combining talents and resources, building relationships, and connecting people, we are empowered.

HALO has chosen the tieke (saddleback) as its symbol. In addition to guiding Mataatua waka to Whakatāne through the mists of the past, the tieke is a tohu, an indicator species, which can survive in only the most pristine forest habitat. Currently tieke are found in fenced sanctuaries and pest-free islands such as Moutohorā (Whale Island). The real measure of HALO’s success will be whether or not our environment here in Whakatāne is healthy enough to sustain tieke. Ka rere tieke kei Whakatāne!

Kutarere and Roimata Care Group

The Kutarere and Roimata Care Group look after the coastal areas of Kutarere, Ohiwa Harbour Margin, Kutarere Wharf Road, Hiwarau Road and Roimata Marae coastal. 

  • Contact - Kenny McCracken
    0272724073 

Manawahe Kokako Trust

This group is involved in predator control and trapping on Karaponga Reserve and neighbouring private land/buffer zones forming the entranceway to the Kokako Project. They are largely funded by the Regional Council; however, Whakatāne District Council has assisted with bait station bait provision. Tracks have been formed and follow an original hydro power station. 

Nukuhou Saltmarsh Care Group

Nukuhou Saltmarsh Care Group is supported by the Regional Council, Department of Conservation, Iwi, and both Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki District Councils to remove plant and animal pest species from the Nukuhou Saltmarsh fringes, Uretara Island, and other open spaces. Indigenous species are being planted to create habitat for the secretive and rare birds that make this area their home. Monthly bird counts are done, road rubbish removed, and a public lookout and 2 km of walking track built and maintained. The group meets on the first Sunday of every month.

Pride Whakatāne District Committee

Pride Whakatāne is an advocacy and beautification group that works closely with Council on rubbish and graffiti reduction initiatives, public garden beautification, promoting the annual private garden competitions, encouraging fruit tree planting, and coordinating annual Arbour Day activities.

Sullivan Lake Care Group

This neighbourhood care group assists with weed and litter control as well as planting of native vegetation for habitat around the Sullivan Lake fringes. It also acts as a watchdog and advocacy group, monitoring activities around the reserve and the health of the lake.

Waiewe Reserve Restoration Group

This is an active group that works on the removal of plant and animal pest species, and the planting of native wetland revegetation species to mitigate flooding and provide bird habitat in the Waiewe Reserve.

Whakatāne Harbour Care Group

This care group, supported by Regional Council contractors, works in the removal of plant and animal pest species from the Whakatāne Harbour fringes and islands, as well as the planting of indigenous species to create habitat for wading and shore birds.

Whakatāne Kiwi Trust

The Whakatāne Kiwi Trust is the community partner in the Whakatāne Kiwi Project.  In 1999, a small population of North Island brown kiwi was found in the Ōhope Scenic Reserve.   Four breeding pairs were found; however, the birds faced local extinction due to predators such as stoats, cats and dogs.  Intensive pest control was established in the reserve in 2001, and the kiwi population has since grown to over 350 birds.

The Trust has an active volunteer programme based around pest control, kiwi management, education and advocacy.

White Horse Drive Reserve

This is a new group formed to restore the native forest in the White Horse Drive Reserve by removing pest plant species.

Ōhope Harbourside Trail Care Group

The Ōhope Harbourside Trail is a community trail along the Ōhiwa Harbour from Waterways Drive to the Wharf.  The project was led by the Rotary Club of Whakatāne and supported by the Whakatāne District Council and the BOP Regional Council.  The Rotary Club have pledged ongoing support for the trail and a Care Group has been established to clear the area of pest plants and to plant natives that will survive in the area.  Get in touch for further information or to offer your support.

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