On Waiheke, groups of eager young conservationists recently gathered at local bays to pull on snorkel masks and step into a world usually hidden beneath the surface.
Through the Waiheke Marine Project, 18 rangatahi trained in Level 1 snorkel and water safety skills, while five emerging leaders earned their Open Water SCUBA certificates. Primarily involving mana whenua (Ngāti Pāoa) and local youth, the programme is creating pathways into hands-on marine restoration.
Now equipped with new skills, participants are contributing to initiatives restoring underwater kelp forests, monitoring kōura populations, and tracking the health of Waiheke’s coastline. Supported by a dedicated Rangatahi Coordinator, the project is shifting from adult-led initiatives to youth-driven restoration.
Further south, Te Whakaoranga O Karioi (Karioi Project) led by A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand is creating opportunities for tamariki, rangatahi, and whānau to connect with conservation from maunga to moana.
Through after-school programmes, holiday activities, mentoring sessions, and volunteering opportunities, participants are stepping into restoration work firsthand: clearing wetlands, supporting predator control, exploring local ecosystems, and learning alongside kaiako grounded in mātauranga Māori and local knowledge.
Delivered alongside Karioi’s wider landscape-scale biodiversity restoration work, the programme gives participants the chance to experience the interconnectedness of whenua, wai, and moana while developing practical conservation skills and a stronger connection to place.
Together, these projects show that conservation is not only about restoring places, it’s about creating experiences that inspire people to care for them. By putting young people at the centre of environmental action, these programmes are helping grow a future generation of kaitiaki across Aotearoa.
WWF-New Zealand’s Community Conservation Fund, in partnership with the Tindall Foundation, is proud to support projects that strengthen environmental education and community-led conservation across Aotearoa.