We all remember the extensive damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle across New Zealand, and some of you may remember the devastation the storm caused to The Y’s Camp Adair, when the normally peaceful Wairoa River, which flows through the camp, burst its banks. The force of the water took out the bridge, fences, and buildings, leaving chaos in its wake.

The Wairoa River

The river, Auckland’s second largest, is particularly prone to flooding, as it is clogged with invasive pest trees and weeds. When this is combined with more frequent extreme weather from climate change, action is needed to prevent a repeat of Gabrielle’s havoc.

The Y's Camp Adair team have worked hard to clear the river throughout the camp, but to make a significant change, the areas upstream needed support too. Inspired by our work alongside Friends of the Wairoa river, and with the support of Counties Energy and the local iwi, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, The Y has kicked off an ambitious river restoration project, which will not only reduce flood risk, but will leave a conservation legacy for generations.

Clearing the river

The first stage of The Y’s River Restoration Project is to clear the upper Wairoa from pest crack willows and weeds. Specialist botanist Maddie Younghas been brought in to lead the team in safe, effective and responsible tree removal. With the support of the Minstry of Social Development, The Y has provided employment to a group of young people who hadn’t held steady employment. In addition to learning the important skills needed to clear the river, they’re also learning the value of being part of The Y team, and gained confidence and pride in their ability.

An unexpected result is also inspiring a passion for the environment, particularly for The Y team member Matt “over the last couple months just everything I've learned has helped me move on further, maybe into a conservation job”

Over the summer the team have impacted 38 hectares, and in the coming years the trees will break down slowly. Already the difference is obvious, with banks cleared from young trees, and the leaves of the larger trees changing colour and beginning to fall.

Connecting the next generation

The removal of the pest plants will open up the area for The Y team to lead replanting and restoration of native plants.

With the support of Counties Energy, schools visiting The Y Camp Adair from the local area and beyond will have the opportunity to get involved in the replanting – getting hands-on conservation learning. This experience will start with learning in the new native plant nursery onsite, explained by Y team leader Maddie. “We call it Te Awarako – ‘The river trees’. We are providing a sustainable, eco-sourced nursery that can provide all the plants that is needed for the riverside planting to revegetate, with the species that are made to be here”

This programme will form part of a new conservation education programme The Y has specially designed for Camp Adair – “Nature’s Classroom”.

“I'm really excited about that because each individual will have a meaningful impact on this project, meaning that each individual will have their own piece of the project that they feel responsible for and they've contributed to” shares Maddie.

In addition to the hands-on activities, school children visiting The Y will also discover that their work bringing back native plants to the area will in turn bring back native fish to the river and native birds to the area – both of whom have been missing from lack of food available thanks to the invasive trees.

Long term impact

The river restoration project demonstrates The Y's ability to take a challenge – a flood-prone area – and transform it into a solution which provides multiple benefits:

• Support for the Hunua area as a whole, with a wide area of the upper Wairoa being cleared
• Providing employment, skills and support to young people for them to thrive in future careers
• Giving hands-on conservation education to a generation of school students, giving them a chance to leave their legacy

Perhaps the long-lasting impact is best summed up by Ruben, part of the river restoration team, and a Hunua local:

“If I was to come down here in 40 or 50 years to my grandkids, I'd be happy to say that the reason that it's clean is because we got to do this work”