Birdsong Opanuku is a charitable trust that works to improve the biodiversity of Opanuku/Henderson Valley in Auckland’s Waitakere Ranges. We undertake pest control and promote education in our local community about the beauty of our valley and what we can all do to protect and enhance it. 

Having established a predator controlled area, Birdsong Opanuku coordinates volunteers and activities to monitor and maintain this protected area. This has become essential as the success of the Forest and Bird National Project, Ark in the Park, has seen many of their species’ releases cross over into our valleys, including kōkako. 

As a community initiative, the support for Birdsong Opanuku flows in both directions. With the backbone of our support coming from local volunteers, we also continually look to give back through organised pest control workshops to provide knowledge and heavily discounted traps. This works in conjunction with our catchIT programmes within local schools that reach into hundreds of households, placing knowledge, capability and the opportunity of choice within easy reach. Over the past 4 years, pupils in the school programme in Rodney and West Auckland have caught 1200 mice, 700 rats, 450 possums, 32 hedgehogs, 10 stoats and 10 weasels! 

For the past 3 years, Birdsong Opanuku have been growing on native plants that are given out to the community free of charge. This has become increasingly important with the devastating floods over the past 2 years having cleared our river and stream edges, allowing further invasion by plant pests. The control of plant and animal pests go hand in hand as we strive to involve all of our community and allow them to contribute and access the resources they need. Community is our greatest asset and we welcome any new volunteers or anyone interested in contributing in their own way, even if it is literally in their own backyard. 

Help make Henderson Valley Possum Free.