Waikawa Community Nursery

19/08/2026

The Southland Ecological Restoration Network (SERN) is coming to Waikawa! If you would like to take a free tour and learn about local restoration work being by individuals and community groups there is more information here: https://www.sern.org.nz/events/sern-spring-field-trip-waikawa-valley-restoration/

19/08/2026

We're delighted that He Wai Apakura - Te Ara Pounamu/ The River's Lament - A Pathway of Treasures won the Supreme Award at the 2026 Southland Creative Arts Awards last night. This was a collaboration between artist Jo Ogier and local experts from the Hokonui Runanga Inc and conservationists Chris and Brian Rance from the Southland Community Nursery.

The Waikawa is like a little sister to the Mataura River and many of the species featured in Jo's artwork would also once have lived along the Waikawa. You can see Jo's amazing artworks on her website here and limited prints are available from the Eastern Southland Art Gallery. https://joogier.co.nz/artwork-category/recent-work/

07/07/2026

Matariki is a time to plan for the year ahead. We're looking forward to another year of growing plants, like these young toetoe whose seed we collected this summer past.

07/07/2026

Not many people get to see kanakana out in the world. We think this species is pretty neat and glad that the Waikawa River is still able to support this important species. A healthy river, healthy wildlife, healthy people!

21/04/2026

We absolutely love mānatu | ribbonwood (Plagianthus regius)! It's a naturally occuring plant along the Waikawa River and is a strong rakau which helps hold banks together and reduce erosion. It's fast growth makes it a superstar for riparian projects and farm shelter planting.

Down at 65 degrees south, mānatu is deciduous in our catchment. The plants are now getting ready to shed their leaves for the season ahead, resting until it is time to put on new growth in September. New tender growth is particular valued by kererū in spring when there is little other fruit or food resources around.

21/04/2026

Volunteers were surprised and delighted to find a prickly stick insect hiding amongst young totara trees at the nursery this weekend!

Stick insects are camouflage experts, and as the name suggests mimic sticks. They feed on native plants, including totara, but we're pretty happy to have them around. Some Māori traditions recognise stick insects (variously known as rō, whe and wairaka around the motu) as indicators you are entering a sacred site. Stick insects are vulnerable to habitat loss and predation by a range of introduced pests including mice.

08/04/2026

Kōtukutuku | tree fuchsia is widespread in our catchment and is a vital resource for birds like tūī. However, we don't use it in our restoration projects for a couple of reasons:

1) it is sensitive to frost and most planting sites lack suitable microsite conditions, especially exposed sites on farms. When our planting sites have matured, we hope fuchsia can naturally establish (birds love the fruit!)

2) it is very sensitive to damage by introduced herbivores and particularly deer and possums. Indeed, in parts of the Catlins there are only mature and bark-chewed fuchsia left, with all seedlings and saplings being chewed before they can mature. In the past when deer were less abundant in the area fuchsia came up along cleared bush margins but this no longer happens. Helping ensure we have fuchsia forever will require serious and sustained pest control.

For more photos and information about this amazing species, visit: https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/flora/species/fuchsia-excorticata/

31/03/2026

Thank you Rob for your knowledge and inspiration!

Pā Rōpata McGowan on why restoring our native forests is essential for the health of the land.

28/03/2026

Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro, nōnā te ngahere. Ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga, nōnā te ao. The bird that consumes the miro berry, theirs is the forest. The bird that consumes knowledge, theirs is the world.

Thanks to Brian Rance, a conservation legend in Southland who recently gave a tour around Te Rere Reserve, a Forest and Bird forest restoration project established over 40 years ago on the open coast near Progress Valley. Hearing about the challenges of managing this site for hoiho | yellow-eyed penguins and the different approaches taken for establishing forest in a remote coastal site was inspirational. Experimentation, observations and adaptive management strategies have been key to the success here. We're grateful for the knowledge you share.

-eyed Penguin Trust

28/03/2026

Our friend Josie Blackshaw from Reforest Southland recently ran a helpful seed collecting and propagation workshop - a recording is available online:

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