More good news from the valley
Jonathan KennettIn early November, the second working bee of Ōtari’s ‘Kaiwharawhara Restoration Revisitation’ took place.
Nine skilled volunteers recorded native plant growth and took out hundreds of weeds from sites 14 and 17, and removed several floors worth of old carpet squares. Lightwells were also created around many magnificent climax species, enabling them to thrive.
The work was part of the revisitation of the major reforestation project in the Kaiwharawhara Valley, run by Jonathan Kennett and Bronwen Wall and supported by the Trust.
Since 2001, the once weed-infested valley has become filled with native forest. Volunteers planted and cared for more than 55,000 seedlings, while conservationists Jonathan Kennett and Bronwen Wall completed a ten-year study of 22 monitoring plots in the valley to determine the survival rates for the species planted. Now, 20 years on, Kennett and Wall plan to revisit all 22 plots.
Dr Carol West measuring growthWhen planted in 2003, the 3x10 metre monitoring plot on Site 14 contained 68 native plants and 11 species. Now there are 212 plants made up of 27 species! The volume and diversity of native plants is fantastic, says Jonathan. ‘Site 17 has been just as successful. The number of native plants has gone from 49 to 145 in the last 23 years, and the diversity of species has increased from 11 to 26! This site now has trees up to 10 metres tall. The growth and diversity are uplifting, I can’t wait to do the next sites.’
The revisitation project will continue along the valley through summer.
Posted: 21 November 2025