Our areatō tātou rohe

Our Area: Building a Connected, Biodiverse Landscape

The Forest Bridge Trust’s area of focus spans approximately 171.000 hectares across northern Rodney and southern Kaipara — from just north of Wellsford and Te Arai in the north, across to South Head, down to Kaukapakapa in the south and across to Waiwera on the East Coast. This diverse landscape includes forests, farmland, rivers, wetlands, and coastal ecosystems that support a rich array of native species, including kiwi.

Our work began with a bold goal: to create a 54,000-hectare “forest bridge” of connected, predator-controlled habitat — linking the kiwi populations of the Mataia Restoration Project, Maunga Tamahunga and Tāwharanui Regional Park. This corridor has now been successfully established, enabling native wildlife to move and thrive across the landscape.

Building on this foundation, we are expanding our focus to enhance and protect biodiversity across the wider Bridge area, including South Head through projects like Silence to Song, which aims to restore native birdlife and ecological health.

We support and resource a growing network of landowners, farmers, iwi/hapū, community groups, and volunteers who are actively working to suppress pest animals, restore habitat, and protect taonga species across the area.

As this movement gains momentum, our shared vision for a thriving taiao continues to grow — grounded in strong partnerships, collective action, and deep connections between people and the natural world.