Kohinga / Bonnie Mary July 15th 2026

A total of 16 amazing volunteers (including 8 enthusiastic students from the Duke of Edinburgh programme) went to Kohinga / Bonnie Mary in the Kaweka's to remove wildings. We found a few small seedlings, but mostly medium to large sized specimens of (mainly) Pinus contorta which we pulled, cut and pasted or drilled and filled. The terrain was steep in places and thick with Kanuka forest - it was challenging to get to the trees and very satisfying to deal to them.

The weather was mostly fine but there was a bitter cold wind in exposed places. We thoroughly enjoyed the company, the cross-training exercise, and knowing we are making a difference to our wonderful natural environment.

Members of our team pulled or cut (and pasted) over 330 wilding conifers, which doesn't sound like a lot compared to some of our totals, but most of these were older, established and fully coning trees.

A very enthusiastic group of volunteers and Duke of Edinburgh students.

Heading back across a beautiful grassy valley with some wildings visible on the horizon.

We are lucky to have these incredible places - but the wilding pines are creeping on the edges.

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