Spring into Conservation: Six simple ways to help nature thrive in your backyard

As the days grow longer and the landscape bursts into life, spring is the perfect time to give back to nature – starting right at home.

Our backyards, gardens, and green spaces can be powerful pockets of conservation. Whether you live in town, near the bush, or beside the river, your actions can support native wildlife and contribute to a healthier environment.

Here are some simple ways to help protect and restore nature this spring:

Spring is planting season! Choose native plants that provide food and shelter for birds, insects, and lizards. Species like harakeke (flax), kōwhai, and mingimingi not only look beautiful but also support local biodiversity through the provision of nectar and berries. 

For more great planting ideas, check out Predator Free NZ’s suggestions!

Tip: Visit your local nursery for eco-sourced native plants suited to your area.

Installing a humane trap, or a few around your property, is a simple but powerful way to help protect our native wildlife. Invasive predators like rats, stoats, and possums pose serious threats to our native species. By reducing their numbers, you’re helping to create a safer environment for birds and other native animals – and you might even start to see more wildlife in your own backyard as a result!

Spring is the perfect time to audit your existing trap network or start a new one with your neighbours. Getting involved in local predator control is a great way to connect with like-minded people and learn from each other.

If you’re in our project area, here are some fantastic groups to get in touch with:

• Queenstown – Whakatipu Wildlife Trust

• Glenorchy – Routeburn Dart Wildlife Trust

• Wānaka – Predator Free Wānaka

Outside these areas? Visit Predator Free NZ for national resources, advice, and to find groups near you.

Together, we can make a real difference. One trap at a time!

Braided rivers are unique and fragile ecosystems – especially during spring, when many native birds are nesting. Their eggs and chicks are often camouflaged and incredibly vulnerable.

If you’re exploring these areas, please:

• Stick to marked tracks

• Keep dogs on leads

• Avoid driving on riverbeds

Your care can make a big difference in protecting these precious habitats.

Live near a stream or lake? You can help too:

• Keep chemicals, lawn clippings, and rubbish out of drains

• Plant native along waterways to reduce runoff, prevent erosion, and create valuable wildlife habitat

If you are a keen birder, spring is also a fantastic time to get involved in local bird surveys!

Encourage moths, butterflies, beetles and other invertebrates into your garden by planting nectar-rich natives and avoiding chemical sprays. Even a small wild corner left untamed can become a haven for insects – which means more food for species like bats and skinks. Check out the Moths & Butterflies New Zealand Trust website and consider completing one of their online courses!

Wasp control is also encouraged as introduced wasps are a serious threat to New Zealand’s wildlife. They compete with birds, bats, lizards and insects for food, like honeydew, and prey on a huge number of native invertebrates – disrupting delicate ecosystems.

You can help by setting up wasp traps in your backyard, planting native species that don’t attract introduced wasps, and report large nests to your local council, Department of Conservation or conservation group.

Leave a pile of logs or rocks in a sunny corner of your garden — they make great hiding spots for lizards and invertebrates. You could even build a wētā hotel!

Many introduced plants can escape gardens and invade natural areas. This spring, take time to remove invasive weeds like broom, old man’s beard, and cotoneaster.

Not sure what’s a weed? Check out the Weedbusters NZ website or talk to your local council.

Every action counts

Conservation isn’t just for wild places, it starts at home. By taking small steps this spring, you’re helping create a region where native wildlife can thrive. Did you know? Increasing biodiversity can really help tackle climate change too – both should be thought of in unison!

Let’s work together for a predator-free, biodiverse future here in Aotearoa