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The challenge to architecture students from Unitec sounded simple: design a bird hide. But trustee John Sumich had other ideas: “I have a site for a bird hide. It has lots of lovely issues to make students think – the site can be flooded; the bank edge is probably unstable and the morning light might make observers visible to any… Read more →

Not once, not twice but three times in an afternoon a matuku [bittern] was seen at Matuku Link. Anita was on her trap-checking round on the weekend and saw what was probably the same matuku on the outward trip and again on her return, each time in a different place. With more and knowledgeable observers more often at this property,… Read more →

On a sunny morning, three trustees were interviewed by Unitec landscape design students in a ‘speed dating’ session to inform their ideas for the Masterplan for Matuku Link. The questions got us thinking about the future use of our existing and possible future buildings, as well as ‘best views’ and ‘communicating with the community’. The groups had great questions and… Read more →

After a couple of weeks waiting anxious for the results, we can now announce that we don’t have Kauri Dieback on Matuku Link! At least, if we do, no kauri that we know of have the disease as yet. The same goes for our neighbour Matuku Reserve. So please be extra careful when visiting our reserves and scrub, spray, scrub… Read more →

We’re trying to get as many plants in the ground this season as possible! And The Trusts, who gave us $85.000 last May as part of their “Million Dollar Mission”, want to document the process, starting at our next Planting Day. Their video will be used to promote us and their upcoming funding round, so this is your chance to show… Read more →

Saturday 22nd of July 10am – 1 pm Planting Bee in Piha – Help restore a part of Piha bush after the May fires. Twenty-three years ago a fire destroyed a large piece of bush on the property of Sandra Coney in Piha. Since then Sandra and her partner Peter Hosking have largely restored the area, removing gorse, promoting natural… Read more →

Our first ever Wetland Working Bee was a great success, with volunteers from all over Auckland and of all ages (the youngest being little six month old Dylan) stomping through the mud and giving our totara, rimu, kahikatea, kanuka, miro, puriri, kowhai, karaka, cabbage trees, putaputaweta, manuka, mahoe, karamu, lancewood, lacebark, fivefinger, mapou, wineberry and flaxes the best possible start… Read more →

Lots of action at Matuku Link and the site has greatly changed since our February Open Day at which many of you were present. Our friendly neighbour not only helped with his tractor to pull out all the internal fence posts left standing after volunteers had removed the wires but was inspired to fell the poplar trees on our joint… Read more →

After receiving the good news of having been awarded over $85.000 though the Million Dollar Mission from The Trusts, planning for the Wetland Education Centre has started. The trustees have held their first meetings with Unitec and very soon the first students from the Landscape faculty will be starting their new semester with designing a site master plan. Architecture students… Read more →

Volunteers welcome this Sunday to be part of the first big planting at Matuku Link on Sunday 16th July from 10 am – 1 pm with shared lunch (see below). Parking available at 111 Bethells Rd (across the road from the Bethells Valley Fire Station) Waitakere Rivercare (who have grown these plants and will grow many more at their future… Read more →