🌿 Upcoming Workday – Saturday 11th October
2025-10-11 09:00 - 13:00 (Pacific/Auckland) | Rotoehu Forest – Corner Pukahangi and Rotoehu Roads, 22 Pukehangi Road, Pukehina, Bay of Plenty, 3186, New Zealand
Join us for our next volunteer workday in Rotoehu Forest!
📍 Meeting Point: Corner of Pukehangi and Rotoehu Roads 🕘 Time: 9:00 am start

🔨 What We’ll Be Doing
We’ll head into the forest together, where tasks will be assigned before setting off to empty any remaining RatAbate bait from bait stations.As some biodegradable bait bags may have been ripped open by rats, volunteers may need to handle toxin directly while removing it.

⚠️ Important Safety Note
RatAbate contains peanut products.If you have a peanut allergy, we recommend sitting this one out for your safety.

✅ What RET Will Provide

Handwashing facilities
PPE (gloves, hi-viz)
Pack liners and other gear for the pest control operation
Snacks and nibbles (for humans – not rats!)
Kōkako Organic coffee, hot chocolate, and tea
A full safety and permit briefing to ensure DOC and RET requirements are met

🎒 What to Bring

A reusable cup for hot drinks
Sturdy, clean footwear
Long sleeves and pants (required for pest control work)
A change of clothes/footwear (especially if you have pets at home)
Weather-appropriate clothing
A water bottle
A backpack
A friend or two to help out
And most importantly – your enthusiasm!

📅 Let Us Know You’re Coming
If you’re available to join us on Saturday 11th October, please let us know so we can plan ahead.
Together, we’ll keep Rotoehu’s kōkako and other native species thriving. 💙

Workday 8 November 2025
2025-11-08 09:00 - 13:00 | Rotoehu Forest – Corner Pukahangi and Rotoehu Roads, 22 Pukehangi Road, Pukehina, Bay of Plenty, 3186, New Zealand
Join us for our next volunteer workday in Rotoehu Forest!
📍 Meeting Point: Corner of Pukehangi and Rotoehu Roads
🕘 Time: 9:00 am start
🔨 What We’ll Be Doing
✅ Check remaining bait stations and remove any leftover bait
📝 Collect and remove rat tracking cards for monitoring results
Why tracking cards matter: They show rat activity after baiting so we know whether our poison-op was effective and where to focus next.
Why now: We are following best practice for kōkako management by monitoring rats at the start of November (just in time for the start of breeding season).
Why removing leftover bait matters: Small amounts left behind can cause sub-lethal doses, leading to a population of rats that are avoidant of bait stations and making them harder to control in the future- so this tidy-up is important.
⚠️ Important Safety Note
RatAbate as well as the lure for the rat tracking tunnels contains peanut products. If you have a peanut allergy, we recommend sitting this one out for your safety.
✅ What RET Will Provide

Handwashing facilities
PPE (gloves, hi-viz)
Pack liners and other gear for the pest control operation
Snacks and nibbles
Kōkako Organic coffee, hot chocolate, and tea
A full safety and permit briefing to ensure DOC and RET requirements are met

🎒 What to Bring

Your charged phone with Field Maps and QuickCapture loaded (see instructions below)
A reusable cup for hot drinks
Sturdy, clean footwear
Long sleeves and pants (required for pest control work)
A change of clothes/footwear (especially if you have pets at home)
Weather-appropriate clothing
A water bottle
A backpack
A friend or two to help out
And most importantly – your enthusiasm!

📅 Let Us Know You’re Coming
If you’re available to join us on Saturday 8thth November, please let us know so we can plan ahead with catering, taskings and any updates we need to send about the workday.
Together, we’ll keep Rotoehu’s kōkako and other native species thriving.

Volunteer workday - 14 March 2026
2026-03-14 09:00 - 13:00 | Rotoehu Forest – Corner Pukahangi and Rotoehu Roads, 22 Pukehangi Road, Pukehina, Bay of Plenty, 3186, New Zealand
🌿 Rotoehu Ecological Trust Volunteer Workday
Join us for a rewarding day in the bush helping protect and restore the incredible biodiversity of Rotoehu Forest. Our volunteer days are a great opportunity to contribute to meaningful conservation work, learn new skills, and spend time with like-minded people in a beautiful forest environment.
We’ll meet at the designated meeting point before heading into the forest, where tasks will be assigned for the day. Activities may include pest control support, track maintenance, monitoring work, or other conservation tasks depending on the season.
What RET Will Provide
• Handwashing facilities• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE: gloves, hi-viz vests)• Tools (feel free to bring your own if you prefer)• Snacks and nibbles• Kōkako Organic coffee, hot chocolate, and tea
What to Bring
• Reusable cup for hot drinks• Sturdy, clean footwear• Weather-appropriate clothing• Water bottle• Backpack• Your enthusiasm!
If you’re planning to attend, please let us know in advance so we can plan tasks and catering for the day.
We look forward to seeing you there and appreciate your support in helping protect and restore this special place.

Volunteer workday – 11 April 2026
2026-04-11 09:00 - 13:00 | Rotoehu Forest – Corner Pukahangi and Rotoehu Roads, 22 Pukehangi Road, Pukehina, Bay of Plenty, 3186, New Zealand
Rotoehu Ecological Trust Volunteer Workday
Join us for a rewarding day in the bush helping protect and restore the incredible biodiversity of Rotoehu Forest. Our volunteer days are a great opportunity to contribute to meaningful conservation work, learn new skills, and spend time with like-minded people in a beautiful forest environment.
We’ll meet at the designated meeting point before heading into the forest, where tasks will be assigned for the day. Activities may include pest control support, track maintenance, monitoring work, or other conservation tasks depending on the season.
What RET Will Provide
• Handwashing facilities• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE: gloves, hi-viz vests)• Tools (feel free to bring your own if you prefer)• Snacks and nibbles• Kōkako Organic coffee, hot chocolate, and tea
What to Bring
• Reusable cup for hot drinks• Sturdy, clean footwear• Weather-appropriate clothing• Water bottle• Backpack• Your enthusiasm!
If you’re planning to attend, please let us know in advance so we can plan tasks and catering for the day.
We look forward to seeing you there and appreciate your support in helping protect and restore this special place.

Volunteer workday - 9 May 2026
2026-05-09 09:00 - 13:30 | Rotoehu Forest – Corner Pukahangi and Rotoehu Roads, 22 Pukehangi Road, Pukehina, Bay of Plenty, 3186, New Zealand

Volunteer workday – 13 June 2026
2026-06-13 09:00 - 13:00 | Rotoehu Forest – Corner Pukahangi and Rotoehu Roads, 22 Pukehangi Road, Pukehina, Bay of Plenty, 3186, New Zealand

Volunteer workday - 11 July 2026
2026-07-11 09:00 - 13:00 | Rotoehu Forest – Corner Pukahangi and Rotoehu Roads, 22 Pukehangi Road, Pukehina, Bay of Plenty, 3186, New Zealand

Rotorua Botanical Society Field Trip to Rotoehu Forest
2026-08-02 10:00 - 15:00 | Rotoehu Forest – Manawahe Road
This field trip is organised by the Rotorua Botanical Society and will take place on Sunday 2nd August.
Come and explore parts of the eastern Rotoehu Forest where the Rotoehu Ecological Trust is undertaking pest control work.
The Trust has recently expanded the area it manages to cover around 2,000 hectares of forest. Working alongside Ngāti Makino and the Department of Conservation, the project aims to protect and grow one of the most important kōkako populations in Aotearoa, and the largest in the Bay of Plenty.
Through the combined efforts of these partners, the kōkako population in the area has now grown to over 500 birds.
To support this work, volunteers and contractors have established more than 200 km of pest control tracks, with bait stations used to control rats during the kōkako breeding season.
During the visit we will explore some of the more recently added eastern areas of the forest, which have received less botanical survey work, and learn more about the conservation work underway.

Trust Open Day - 8 August 2026
2026-08-08 09:00 - 13:00 | Rotoehu Forest – Corner Pukahangi and Rotoehu Roads, 22 Pukehangi Road, Pukehina, Bay of Plenty, 3186, New Zealand
🌿 Rotoehu Ecological Trust Open Day
Join us for a special Open Day in Rotoehu Forest and see firsthand the work being done to protect one of New Zealand’s most important kōkako populations.
This is a great opportunity to meet the team behind the Rotoehu Ecological Trust, learn about the conservation work taking place in the forest, and see how volunteers and community support are helping restore this special ecosystem.
Throughout the morning we’ll share stories from the project, demonstrate some of the tools and technology used in conservation, and talk about the work being done to protect native species like kōkako and pekapeka (bats).
Whether you’re curious about conservation, interested in volunteering, or just keen to learn more about the forest, everyone is welcome.
What to Expect
• Introduction to the Rotoehu Ecological Trust• Overview of kōkako conservation and pest control work• Demonstrations of monitoring tools and technology• Short walk into the forest (optional)• Opportunity to ask questions and meet the team
What RET Will Provide
• Snacks and nibbles• Kōkako Organic coffee, hot chocolate, and tea• Basic PPE if required for the forest walk
What to Bring
• Reusable cup for hot drinks• Sturdy footwear suitable for forest tracks• Weather-appropriate clothing• Water bottle
If you’re planning to attend, please let us know so we can plan for numbers.
We look forward to welcoming you and sharing the story of the work being done to protect and restore Rotoehu Forest.

Volunteer workday - 12 September 2026
2026-09-12 09:00 - 13:00 | Rotoehu Forest – Corner Pukahangi and Rotoehu Roads, 22 Pukehangi Road, Pukehina, Bay of Plenty, 3186, New Zealand

Volunteer workday – 10 October 2026
2026-10-10 09:00 - 13:00 | Rotoehu Forest – Corner Pukahangi and Rotoehu Roads, 22 Pukehangi Road, Pukehina, Bay of Plenty, 3186, New Zealand

Volunteer workday - 14 November 2026
2026-11-14 09:00 - 13:00 | Rotoehu Forest – Corner Pukahangi and Rotoehu Roads, 22 Pukehangi Road, Pukehina, Bay of Plenty, 3186, New Zealand
