Belmont Regional Park lies in the hill country between Porirua and Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt. Despite the area’s obvious beauty, the park has lost a considerable amount of its original forest cover. The loss of forest has broken the links between habitats that allow native species of manu (birds), mokomoko (lizards) and pepeke (insects) to travel between areas. Around 50,000 native rākau (trees, shrubs and grasses) in Belmont Park. This mahi will take place on the western side of the reserve over the next four years. We aim to plant 5,000 native rākau in 2024, then ramp up to 15,000 annually from 2025 to 2027. The site has excellent access and is close to drinking water and toilets, and we will be hosting many events in the coming season.