Haakarimata Restoration Trust

Haakarimata Restoration Trust We are a group of volunteer landowners working on bringing the Hakarimata ranges back to life. Planting native trees and removing introduced predators.
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DREAMING THE VISION....AND ACTING. When our head hits the pillow each night we dream of better times for Haakarimata.......
14/06/2026

DREAMING THE VISION....AND ACTING.
When our head hits the pillow each night we dream of better times for Haakarimata....when we rise we act. Words mean nothing if we aren't living and breathing it.

Every now and then we get a glimpse of what Haakarimata could be like again.

Not many people are lucky enough to see flocks of kererū anymore. It's easy to forget that kererū are naturally a flocking species, but that's the vision we're working towards.

Haakarimata is a true lowland forest, and with intensive predator control and the restoration of natural food sources, we can help bring these incredible birds back in greater numbers.

One day, seeing flocks of kererū soaring above the canopy could be a normal part of a walk through the ranges once again.
It should be!

📷 Dave Sheely — Kererū, Cascade Falls, Hakarimata.

HEALING OUR MAUNGA: As landowners, it really is our duty to protect this place.The exciting thing is that this sense of ...
13/06/2026

HEALING OUR MAUNGA:

As landowners, it really is our duty to protect this place.
The exciting thing is that this sense of responsibility isn't just felt by local landowners, it's shared by so many people who visit and enjoy the tracks at Haakarimata. Every person who cares about these ranges and wants to see them thriving for future generations is part of the solution.

Nature can heal surprisingly qu**ky when given half a chance to recover.
-Greg.

📷: Annette Rutledge (Morepork Action Group & Haakarimata Restoration Trust). Kererū on the MAG control grid.

In x5 years of work at Haakarimata we are still yet to see a rimu tree fruit.Instead of fruiting yearly, rimu undergo "m...
13/06/2026

In x5 years of work at Haakarimata we are still yet to see a rimu tree fruit.

Instead of fruiting yearly, rimu undergo "mast seeding" producing a massive crop of seeds every few years.
Mast years were once a brilliant year for native birds....unfortunately now that we have introduced predators, forest masts can now be ecological disasters if not managed, as rat numbers soar and trappers have to work overtime to contain rodents with bait stations.

These years were once a saviour for Kākāpō:
This irregular fruiting was vital for the critically endangered kākāpō parrot; the smell of ripening rimu fruit biologically triggers the bird's breeding cycle and often will only breed when there's rimu masts.


📷: Greg Townsend. A majestic rimu, MAG pest control grid, Haakarimata.

OUR FOREST HAS LOST IT'S CHOIR. 🎶Every backyard restored with traps and trees helps bring the music back.We're not just ...
12/06/2026

OUR FOREST HAS LOST IT'S CHOIR. 🎶

Every backyard restored with traps and trees helps bring the music back.

We're not just protecting trees....we're slowly helping restore the voices of the forest.


📷: Dave Sheely. Korimako/NZ Bellbird. A call that was sadly long lost to Haakarimata...but is now trying to make a comeback. 🎶🎶

It's kākā sighting season once again! 🦜While kākā can no longer breed at Haakarimata, winter is the time when these incr...
12/06/2026

It's kākā sighting season once again! 🦜

While kākā can no longer breed at Haakarimata, winter is the time when these incredible birds disperse from their breeding areas in search of food.

If you're out enjoying Haakarimata and are fortunate enough to spot a kākā, please let us know and record your sighting. Every observation helps build a better picture of where these birds are travelling and feeding.

📷: Brian Cutting. (Hakarimata Restoration Trust). Kākā visit Haakarimata in winter.

DEALING WITH THE RAT PLAGUES.For our native birds at Haakarimata like tūī, pīwakawaka (fantail), and kererū to successfu...
11/06/2026

DEALING WITH THE RAT PLAGUES.
For our native birds at Haakarimata like tūī, pīwakawaka (fantail), and kererū to successfully nest and fledge their young, rat tracking rates need to be reduced to below 5%.

This is no easy task. That's why we focus our energy and effort when it matters most.

We use one catch kill traps as well.....but trapping rats one by one at Haakarimata can sometimes feel like the definition of insanity, however with a network of bait stations and automatic traps as well, we're now making real inroads.

Every rat removed means fewer eggs, chicks, and nesting birds lost to predation.
Keeping numbers in check during winter means less work to do coming into spring bird nesting season.
Every one counts.
-Greg.

📷: Brian Cutting. Piles of rats under goodnature A24 traps and AT220 traps slow the reinvasion down, Haakarimata.

It's been 2 years since we officially launched the Haakarimata Halo project with local landowners back in 2024.Organized...
11/06/2026

It's been 2 years since we officially launched the Haakarimata Halo project with local landowners back in 2024.
Organized by local land owners and Go Eco, it was also well supported by the Department of Conservation, Waikato District Council, Waikato Regional Council, LJ Ho**er Ngaruawahia - Twin Rivers Real Estate Ltd and NGĀ ART - Te Whare Toi o Ngaaruawaahia.

Although it was early days for us, we still had over x200 people turn up on the day.

The vision of the Haakarimata Halo was simple: to create a safe halo around the Haakarimata Range through predator control and restoration in backyards, river corridors, parks, and streams.

We're excited to say we've now built some incredible momentum, with x101 local landowners behind us and already doing the work on their own properties.

On the back of this momentum, in 2025 the Haakarimata Restoration trust was formed and reborn.

This year, we're even more excited to announce that, with the support of DOC and others, we're finally moving deeper into the big beast itself.....the Haakarimata Reserve.

Keep an eye out for volunteer opportunities coming up shortly.
Good things take time, but it's happening. 🌿🐦

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