Bluff Hill Motupohue Environment Trust

Bluff Hill Motupohue Environment Trust Restoration and protection of the natural environment on and around Bluff Hill.

Trustees: Estelle Leask, Chairperson (Conservation); Debbie Fife, Treasurer; Peter Leask; Yvonne Pickford and David Swann. Partners: Blacks Fasteners, Invercargill City Council, Southern Generation Limited Partnership (SGLP).

🐦 LISTEN TO WHAT WE ARE PROTECTINGThere is something very special about walking on Motupōhue surrounded by native birdso...
11/09/2026

🐦 LISTEN TO WHAT WE ARE PROTECTING

There is something very special about walking on Motupōhue surrounded by native birdsong.

The calls of tūī and korimako, the beat of kererū wings, and the chatter of pīwakawaka are more than a pleasant backdrop. They are signs of a living, recovering ecosystem—and they bring real joy to our community.

This abundance did not happen by accident.

Years of sustained predator control and habitat restoration have helped native species thrive on the hill. Every trap serviced, every predator removed and every native tree planted contributes to that outcome.

That is what BHMET’s funding appeal is ultimately about: protecting the life that has returned and ensuring future generations can experience a hill alive with birdsong.

We are delighted that our community has already donated around **$500**. Thank you to everyone who has contributed or shared our appeal. That early response has given us real encouragement—but we still have a long way to go towards our **$50,000 target**.

If the birdsong of Motupōhue matters to you, please help us keep it growing.

Direct donations:

Kiwibank | Bluff Hill Motupohue Environment Trust | 38-9008-0319201-06 | Reference - Protect | Code - Donation

(BHMET is an IRD Donee organisation so donations qualify for a NZ donation tax credit. Please email [email protected] to request a donation receipt)

If you'd prefer to donate anonymously, please use our Givealittle page here: https://givealittle.co.nz/org/bhmet

More information: https://motupohue.nz/help-us/2026-funding-appeal/

If you cannot donate, please share this post. Every donation and every share helps protect the remarkable native life of Motupōhue.

🌱 100,000 NATIVE TREES—AND THE MAHI MUST CONTINUEOver the past four years, Bluff Hill Motupōhue Environment Trust has pl...
09/09/2026

🌱 100,000 NATIVE TREES—AND THE MAHI MUST CONTINUE

Over the past four years, Bluff Hill Motupōhue Environment Trust has planted an extraordinary 100,000 native trees on the hill.

All of those trees began their lives at Te Korowai Whakahou, BHMET’s native plant nursery. From collecting and propagating seed through to growing, planting and caring for young plants, this is long-term work—and it is transforming our local environment.

Every tree planted helps restore native habitat, strengthen ecological connections and create a healthier future for our indigenous wildlife.

But reaching 100,000 trees is not the end of the story.

BHMET is facing a serious funding shortfall. Without further support, our ability to operate the nursery, prepare plants and continue our restoration programme will be drastically reduced.

The trees already in the ground represent four years of hard work by our staff, volunteers, partners and community. We need your help to maintain that momentum and ensure this mahi continues.

Please support BHMET today:

Please donate here:

Kiwibank | Bluff Hill Motupohue Environment Trust | 38-9008-0319201-06 | Reference - Protect | Code - Donation
(BHMET is an IRD Donee organisation so donations qualify for a NZ donation tax credit. Please email [email protected] to request a donation receipt)

If you'd prefer to donate anonymously, please use our Givealittle page here: https://givealittle.co.nz/org/bhmet

Learn more: https://motupohue.nz/help-us/2026-funding-appeal/

If you cannot donate, please share this post. Helping us reach the right person or organisation could make an enormous difference.

Together, we have planted 100,000 native trees. Together, we can keep this restoration growing.

HELP US PROTECT FOUR YEARS OF CONSERVATION GAINSBluff Hill Motupōhue Environment Trust is facing a serious funding short...
09/09/2026

HELP US PROTECT FOUR YEARS OF CONSERVATION GAINS

Bluff Hill Motupōhue Environment Trust is facing a serious funding shortfall.

Over the past four years, our team and volunteers have worked relentlessly to suppress rats, possums, mustelids and feral cats across Motupōhue, Ōmāui and the wider Bluff environment. That work is making a difference—but predator control cannot simply be paused.

If trapping and monitoring fall away, predators recover. The conservation gains our community has worked so hard to achieve can quickly begin to unravel.

We need to raise $50,000 to keep essential operations going until committed project funding becomes available. This will help us maintain our trap networks, respond to equipment failures, analyse results and continue protecting the places and native wildlife that make Bluff so special.

This is not funding for a new ambition. It is funding to protect what has already been achieved.

Every contribution will help:

• $25 helps keep traps operating in the field
• $100 contributes to servicing and maintaining a trapline
• $500 supports sustained predator control in a priority area
• Larger donations can make a substantial difference to our ability to continue

Please donate here: Kiwibank | Bluff Hill Motupohue Environment Trust | 38-9008-0319201-06 | Reference - Protect | Code - Donation

(BHMET is an IRD Donee organisation so donations qualify for a NZ donation tax credit. Please email [email protected] to request a donation receipt)

If you cannot donate, please share this post. Reaching the right person, business or organisation could be just as valuable.

We have come too far to allow these gains to slip away.

Well we got lucky with the weather on Saturday and had an awesome afternoon with Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu Charitable ...
25/08/2026

Well we got lucky with the weather on Saturday and had an awesome afternoon with Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu Charitable Trust planting up a storm and managed to get over 600 native plants in the ground, it was a great effort by all, thank you so much for the support and helping us to get closer to our 2026 goal.

our gates are open today from 10-2 at 18 Barrow Street if you would to come and see the nursery
10/04/2026

our gates are open today from 10-2 at 18 Barrow Street if you would to come and see the nursery

It's been a couple of weeks since but we kicked off this years planting season on the 27th February with a fabulous grou...
15/03/2026

It's been a couple of weeks since but we kicked off this years planting season on the 27th February with a fabulous group from DOC helping us in a new area on the hill this year.

Between the planting day on the 27th and with us continuing to pant the following week we have managed to get just under 4,000 plants in the ground already.

The lack of a summer means the plants are getting plenty of water and the odd sunny day which is giving them a great start in their homes.

Thank you again Department of Conservation team for the amazing work!

We would also like to thank Bluff Sand Supply & Cartage LTD for the awesome work of clearing our planting rows through the gorse and broom.

We would love to see you all there 😃
12/03/2026

We would love to see you all there 😃

09/01/2026

Happy New Year from all of us at BHMET.

2026 has started really well: four kākā seen at the top of the Tōpuni Track - including one juvenile; South Island robins seen near Stirling Point; dotterel chick at the Oyster Festival site.

We're making real progress - we're planning a blitz on stoats to try and bring their numbers down. We always need trap line and planting volunteers - shout out if you want to 'walk with purpose' on the hill!

Happy New Year.With the mix of rain and warm weather out plants in the nursery are booming, saying that we will be holdi...
04/01/2026

Happy New Year.

With the mix of rain and warm weather out plants in the nursery are booming, saying that we will be holding a community open day late Jan early Feb with the opportunity to purchase native plants and grasses.

If you are keen to get in and plant up now give us a private message to arrange a visit to the nursery.

At this stage we have plenty of Flax, large and small grasses, Kakabeak, Kowhai. Kahikatea, Coprosmas, Broadleaf, Cabbage Trees and other native species.

Get hold of us if you are interested.

Have an awesome day!

Another epic planting day yesterday, we are so close to the end of this seasons targets. The awesome girls from VetSouth...
20/11/2025

Another epic planting day yesterday, we are so close to the end of this seasons targets. The awesome girls from VetSouth smashed out over 1,100 plants at the top of Robinson Park. This will ultimately help with shelter and drainage for Port Softball Club's diamond and will be adding to our native tree corridor.

A huge thank you Casey at Bluff Sand Supply & Cartage LTD for your time and resources mowing the knarly area of bracken and other surprises, we couldn't have done it without you.

For our planting work on and around Bluff to be possible we rely on so many generous and amazing people and organisations to help us out along the way and once again we truly appreciate you all helping us with our vision.

Address

16-18 Gore Street
Bluff
9814

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