It’s taken four and a half years of hard graft, but the restoration of Punungairo Bullock Creek near Punakaiki is finally finished.

The work was done by a team from Conservation Volunteers New Zealand (CVNZ) on Department of Conservation (DOC) stewardship land.

“Our job was to restore 153 hectares of the Bullock Creek flats back to native forest and wetland,” said Genna Thomson, CVNZ Punakaiki Project Manager.

“From 2020 to 2024, we planted 317,731 native plants on the flats,” Thomson said.

“All the plants were grown at our nursery from seed we collected ourselves from nearby native bush,” Thomson said.

Restoring an area the size of 215 rugby fields is not just an incredible environmental achievement; it’s also been a boon for locals keen on outdoor work.

The project employed 13 full-time staff and provided on-the-job training and apprenticeships.

Abbey Gardner, Revegetation Team Leader, has been part of the work crew since the project began. She holds the record for the most plants planted in one day: 200 plants (that’s one plant every 2.5 minutes).

“It’s been amazing to see it from start to finish. The trees that I planted at the start of the project are now taller than me which is awesome to see,” Gardner said.

“It’s looking real good up there. It’s gone from this bare land landscape to looking like how it must have looked before the farms.

“I didn’t used to think I’d be a good leader but I’m really glad I stepped up and took the team leader role because it was something I really enjoyed doing.”

She was one of four staff members who started an apprenticeship in Horticulture Nursery Production while on the job. Three staff completed their apprenticeship and Abbey will soon complete hers.

Bullock Creek is a popular outdoor destination. The limestone cliffs attract rock climbers, and the hills and flats are dotted with popular walks like the Inland Pack Track.

The restoration site is Aotearoa’s only example of a polje – a large, flat expanse within karst limestone. In the late nineteenth century, European settlers moved into flats and cleared the native forest and wetland for farming.

“It’s an awesome achievement to restore this hugely significant natural area, and we’re so proud to leave such an incredible legacy for future generations,” Thomson said.

The project was funded by DOC’s Mahi mō te Taiao Jobs for Nature and the Ministry for Primary Industries.

The team will mark the end of this milestone project with an on-site celebration on the first weekend of March.

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