Get Involved
Wellington's gorse problem crosses hundreds of properties, several agencies, and decades of accumulated seed bank. No single group can fix it alone — which is exactly why the Trust was set up as a coordinating body, and exactly why we need people, land, skills, and funding from across the region. There's a way to contribute whatever you have to offer.
For landowners
If you own or manage land with gorse on it — a lifestyle block, a farm, a section of reserve margin — you're one of the people who can make the biggest difference.
Join a coordinated treatment programme
If your land borders other gorse-affected properties, treating it in isolation rarely lasts — regrowth simply moves back in from next door. We help sequence treatment across boundaries so your investment holds.
Host a drone spraying operation
We work with operators experienced in steep hill terrain and can help arrange access, consent, and timing.
Partner on native planting
Once gorse is treated, getting natives in the ground fast is critical. We can help source appropriate local-provenance species and coordinate planting.
[Register your interest / Contact us about your property]
Volunteer with us
You don't need land or expertise to help — just time and willingness to get outside.
Planting days
Our biggest ongoing need. Native planting has to happen fast after treatment, and every planting day directly speeds up how quickly a site stops being gorse-prone.
Seedling monitoring and follow-up treatment
Trained volunteers help walk treated sites in the first one to two years to catch regrowth before it re-establishes — one of the most important and most under-resourced parts of any programme.
Long-term monitoring
Ongoing tracking of native establishment across sites, for people who want a more regular, low-intensity commitment.
Working bees and site days
Hands-on help with mechanical clearing, mulching, or site prep on accessible terrain.
[See upcoming volunteer days / Sign up]
Corporate and community partnerships
Businesses, community groups, and iwi/hapū can support the Trust's work in ways that go beyond one-off donations:
Sponsor a site
Fund a full treatment-to-native-canopy cycle on a named priority site, with progress updates over time.
Corporate volunteer days
Bring a team out for planting or monitoring — a hands-on option for staff engagement with a visible, lasting outcome.
In-kind support
Native plant stock, equipment, professional services (GIS mapping, ecology, drone operation, legal support for cross-boundary agreements) are all genuinely useful contributions.
Local business sponsorship
Support signage, events, or operational costs in exchange for recognition as a Trust partner.
[Discuss a partnership]
Share your expertise
We're always glad to hear from people with relevant experience:
- Drone operators experienced in agricultural or environmental spraying
- Ecologists, botanists, and native planting specialists
- GIS and mapping professionals
- People with experience in cross-boundary land management or biosecurity
[Get in touch]
Spread the word
Awareness and community buy-in matter as much as any spray programme — re-invasion from an untreated neighbouring property can undo years of work. If you don't have land, time, or funds to give right now, sharing what the Trust is doing with neighbours, community boards, or local groups still helps build the coordinated, multi-party effort that gorse control on Wellington's hills actually requires.
Every hectare of gorse we replace with native forest is a permanent gain — for biodiversity, for water quality, for fire safety, and for the communities who live among Wellington's hills. There's a role in that for almost anyone.