Mākara Peak Supporters: Restoring Nature, One Seed at a Time

Set in Wellington’s Outer Green Belt, this 250-hectare park is not only a haven for mountain bikers, but also a growing success story in native forest restoration, led by the passionate volunteers of the Mākara Peak Supporters (MPS).

After the original forest was cleared and farmed in the late 19th century, the land soon began its transformation into a scenic reserve. Since then, MPS with the support of Wellington City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council have worked tirelessly to bring native biodiversity back to the area. The park is now a certified carbon sink and a vital wildlife corridor linking Zealandia and Otari-Wilton’s Bush.

A major milestone in the park’s conservation journey has recently been reached through a project funded by Air New Zealand’s Every Corner fund. So far, 1,800 seeds of native species such as miro, mataī, kohekohe, tawa, hīnau, pukatea and nīkau have been distributed across four test sites in the park. These trials, supported by seed analysis and site monitoring, will help identify the best growing conditions ahead of a larger drone seeding operation planned for 2026 in partnership with Lions Ōtari Plant Conservation Laboratory and Red Tree Environmental Solutions.

As Mākara Peak Supporter committee member, Simon Kennett, explains: “After 25 years of planting throughout the accessible parts of the park, it’s time to focus on all our gnarly terrain and prickly scrubland. For some big tree species there are no seed sources close to the park for birds to spread. So, when podocarp researcher Sarah Goldberg presented to us about drone seeding, it was a Eureka! moment. Suddenly we could see a way of reintroducing rare species to the big, inaccessible chunks of the park."

The seed project adds to an already strong foundation of restoration work. MPS plants one tree for every metre of new track built — with over 35km of tracks and tens of thousands of trees planted since 1998. The team has also installed fenced areas to exclude goats and pigs, established a network of traps to control possums and stoats, cleared fire-prone weeds like gorse, and restored parts of Karori Stream into lush native habitat.

Mākara Peak is more than just a bike park. It’s a living example of how local volunteers, supported by science and strategic funding, can restore and protect our natural taonga.

Community members are encouraged to get involved in upcoming Community Planting Days on Sunday 3rd, 17th, and 31st August from 10am. More information is available on the Mākara Peak Supporters Facebook page.