Protecting our native plants, animals and wild places, on land and in our oceans. Help us to help nature.
Backyard biodiversity and more
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There is a wealth of opportunity to contribute to conservation here in urban Auckland, by doing small things right in your own backyard and garden.
Backyard projects
There are number of green activities that you can undertake if you're wanting to bring some of our native wildlife into your backyard. On this page, you can find a range of projects such as creating a worm-farm, building a bird-feeder and planting plants that will attract wildlife to your green patch.
On this page you can find out what plants will re-create the original vegetation in your area, and what will attract wildlife to your part of Auckland city.
Create a wildlife friendly garden
Learning about the diets about our birds and insects is crucial if you want to attract them to your garden In this section you can learn all about what sorts of plants occur naturally in your area of the city and what types of plants will attract birds (more)
Tui, Glenie Lambert
Garden Bird Survey
Every year Landcare and F&B run a Bird Survey to enable scientists to create a snapshot of garden bird populations throughout the country.
Each year, volunteers take an hour to sit in their garden and record the birds that pay a visit. Over, 1900 people took part last year.
Mini Bio Blitz
Do you know how many beetles, bugs, butterflies and birds live in your garden? Maybe it's time to find out. A Bioblitz is a snapshot in time of what plant and animal species can be found in a certain area in a 24hour period. This article in the Guardian newspaper explains how it's done.
If you do this more than once, you can then compare the results and say whether there are more or fewer species. The number of plants and animals in your garden might amaze you!
If you have trouble identifying any specimens, there are quite a few places and people who can do this for you. We like this website to identify native plants and this for native animals . To identify invertebrates (like lizards or insects) or fungi, click here. The planned exhibition of native species at the Auckland Zoo, Te Waonui will provide the opportunity for you to see and recognise species.
Birdwatching
If you want to know where to go to watch different birds in Auckland , then check out this page here.