Tauranga families have a unique opportunity to plant a native tree, snap a selfie, and return in the years ahead to watch it grow — all while helping restore one of the city’s most significant ecological and cultural landscapes.
The Tauranga Rotary Centennial Trust is calling on 200 volunteers to join 200 local Rotarians in planting 5000 native trees in the Kōpūrererua Valley Reserve on Sunday, September 14.
“We’re inviting the public to come along and be part of this special day,” said trust board chair Lyall Holmes.
“It’s two hours of planting, followed by a good old-fashioned sausage sizzle. K Valley is a truly valuable resource, and the more people who understand its value to our city, the better.”
Tauranga Rotary Centennial Trust board chair Lyall Holmes planting a native tree in Kōpūrererua Valley. Photo / Brydie Thompson.
Volunteers are encouraged to pre-register via the Humanitix website so organisers can plan for numbers. The planting event would run 9.30am-12pm, with access via the Marshall Ave entrance to the valley.
“Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s Environmental Enhancement fund and Powerco will pay for a mixture of plant species,” Holmes said. “We appreciate their generosity.”
Long-term collaboration
Established in 2004, the Tauranga Rotary Centennial Trust is a long-term collaboration between Tauranga’s four Rotary clubs — Tauranga, Tauranga Te Papa, Tauranga Sunrise, and Otūmoetai — in partnership with Tauranga City Council, BOPRC, and local iwi.
During the last 20 years the project has seen more than $2m invested into revitalising the 364ha reserve.
Sylvie Brown from ACG, Geoff Brown (at back), and Karpaga Kanniya Muthu helping plant 4500 native plants in Kōpūrererua Valley in September, 2024.
Kōpūrererua Valley is not only an important wetland and ecological corridor – it holds deep cultural and historical significance, and is part of the ancestral lands of Ngāi Tamarāwaho, for whom the valley and nearby Waikareao Estuary are treasured kete kai (food baskets).
The area was also a site of pivotal 19th century battles between Māori and British colonial forces, with remnants of Puketoromiro Pā and other archaeological features still visible today.
Puketoromiro Pā stands towards the southern end of the Kōpūrererua Valley. Photo / Tauranga City Council.
Kōpūrererua Valley received national recognition in May, earning a Healthy Parks Merit Award in the 2025 Recreation Aotearoa Parks Awards.
While the award was presented to TCC, Holmes said it also reflected the efforts of countless volunteers and the trust partners across two decades of transformation.
Much more value
The value of K Valley extended well beyond its role in improving stormwater quality before it flows into Tauranga Harbour, said Holmes, because it now served as a key transport and recreational link through the city.
Kōpūrererua Valley Reserve. Photo / Tauranga City Council
Alongside the state highway corridor connecting Tauriko to Mount Maunganui – a vital route for port-bound freight – the reserve boasts 12km of walking and cycling paths.
“Soak up the tranquillity, share a sense of history, ecology and recreational possibilities in this jewel of Tauranga city. Bring your families and enjoy a sausage sizzle,” Holmes said.
To register for the September 14 planting day, visit: https://events.humanitix.com/plantingday