Park rangers and the community are working together to realise the regeneration plan for the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor.

Planting days

Want to help create a living legacy for our city?

Our planting season takes place over autumn through winter from May to August.

We work with other partners to make this legacy a reality.

Contact RRZRangers@ccc.govt.nz.


Waikākāriki | Horseshoe Lake

Waikākāriki/Horseshoe Lake was the site of a significant settlement called Te Oranga. A tributary to the Ōtākaro, Waikākāriki was rich in wildlife and natural resources and was a significant site for mahinga kai.

Conservation Volunteers New Zealand will be hosting several public planting days to restore the wetland areas along the New Brighton Road edge. 

When:

  • Saturday 27 April, 1pm to 3pm
  • Saturday 18 May, 1pm to 3pm
  • Saturday 22 June, 1pm to 3pm
  • Saturday 13 July, 1pm to 3pm
  • Saturday 27 July, 1pm to 3pm
  • Saturday 10 August, 1pm to 3pm
  • Saturday 24 August, 1pm to 3pm

Register via CVNZ booking website(external link)


Brooker Ave forest 

Avon Ōtākaro Forest Park will host two planting days to continue their six-year-old forest planting alongside Corsiar Stream, Brooker Ave, Burwood.

  • Sunday 9 June, 10am to midday
  • Sunday 14 July, 10am to midday

Register by emailing info@aofp.co.nz


Corsiar Stream - Belair Close, Burwood

The red zone ranger team will lead a new planting project on the Belair Close side of Corsiar Stream this winter. This falls within the area known as Ōruapaeroa. 

Ōruapaeroa/Travis was a traditional kāinga (settlement), which included the wetlands surrounding the Ōtākaro/Avon and Ōpāwaho/Heathcote rivers.

These wetlands supported an abundance of native fish and birdlife, and the site was an important mahinga kai nohoanga (seasonal food landing).

  • Saturday 25 May, 1pm to 3pm
  • Sunday 9 June, 10am to midday
  • Sunday 14 July, 10am to midday
  • Saturday 17 August, 1pm to 3pm

Contact:  RRZRangers@ccc.govt.nz


5000 trees at Deville Place, Waikākāriki | Horseshoe Lake

Waikākāriki/Horseshoe Lake was the site of a significant settlement called Te Oranga. A tributary to the Ōtākaro, Waikākāriki was rich in wildlife and natural resources and was a significant site for mahinga kai.

We will be adding to the 5000 'trees that count' project started in 2022, with more trees and some tree-themed games. This is a family-friendly event in association with KidsFest.

  • Friday 19 July, 1pm to 3pm

Contact:  RRZRangers@ccc.govt.nz

Maintenance days

Autumn and spring maintenance

This is a critical step in any restoration project – releasing the plants by weeding the long grass around each one and adding mulch. This allows each plant to access the sunlight and water they need to thrive and grow.

We are working with Conservation Volunteers New Zealand to support this important work.

Contact:


Cedarwood Reserve

When:

  • Stay tuned for future dates

Register: Register with CVNZ (conservationvolunteers.co.nz)(external link)

Contact: christchurch@cvnz.org.nz


Amelia Rogers Reserve

Amelia Rogers Reserve is in the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor, on residential red zone land, Ōtautahi East. Amelia Rogers was a local identity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, running the post office from her home at 348 New Brighton Road.

Join us for a morning of mahi alongside the Ōtākaro awa releasing 2023 plantings from the grass and weeds.

We'll supply tools. Please bring your own gardening gloves, wear sturdy footwear, long sleeves and pants, and bring a water bottle. 

When:

  • Thursday 14 March, 9.30am to midday
  • Saturday 23 March, 9.30am to midday
  • Thursday 28 March, 9.30am to midday

Register: Register with CVNZ (conservationvolunteers.co.nz)(external link)

Contact: christchurch@cvnz.org.nz


5000 trees at Deville Place

This is the perfect site for any schools looking to fulfil their community service hours and October to December is a great time to come together and do some spring maintenance. 

Contact the red zone team if you are interested in bringing your class or group to this site to make a real contribution to the restoration of this culturally significant site – Waikakariki/Horseshoe Lake. 

Contact:  RRZRangers@ccc.govt.nz


Dallington Landing working bees with CVNZ

Conservation Volunteers New Zealand are creating a forest in the Dallington Landing area, as part of the Rotary Forests of Peace and Remembrance project. They hold regular maintenance events here. 

When: Stay tuned for the next date

Access: Between Dallington Terrace and Gayhurst Road

Contact: christchurch@cvnz.org.nz

What to bring

Please wear long sleeves and pants and bring:

  • Appropriate clothing for any weather: sunhat, warm jacket and raincoat.  
  • Sturdy footwear or gumboots.
  • Work gloves.
  • Water bottle and sunscreen.

Tools are supplied.

For further information contact parks.volunteers@ccc.govt.nz

More information

At 602 hectares, the Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor regeneration area is three-and-a-half times larger than Hagley Park. 

Although this will be a generational project that’s likely to take between 30 and 50 years to fully develop, we encourage people to visit and connect with the land that once held more than 5,000 homes.

The Green Spine will form the core of the regeneration area. At 11km long, it will follow the Ōtākaro Avon River and feature swathes of restored native habitat, trails, paths, footbridges, community spaces, and riverside landings that provide access to the water and local information about the area.

Over the past few years, Council staff, organisations and volunteers have planted tens of thousands of native trees throughout the Green Spine, as we begin bringing the vision of an ecologically-restored river corridor to life. 

Some of the larger ecological planting projects you can get involved in include: