Iwi-led restoration brings kākā back to Wellington hills

A decade-long restoration project led by mana whenua in Te Whanganui-a-Tara is being credited with a dramatic rebound in kākā numbers across the city's green belt. The project, which combines intensive predator control with extensive native planting, has been quietly transforming the hills around Wellington since 2014. Rangers say monthly counts show kākā populations have more than tripled in surveyed areas. "This is what happens when iwi are resourced to lead the mahi on their own whenua," said a project spokesperson. Council is now exploring how the model can be expanded to other reserves.