Morning sun streams over your backyard as a young kowhai tree bows to the breeze. The distinctive song of the tui is heard above, colouring the air with sound.

Space for Nature – which launched last month – is Envirohub Bay of Plenty’s latest initiative, with project manager Sam Mortensen – the nature-loving powerhouse behind it – excited to get the community on board!  

“Space for Nature in essence is all about inspiring our urban residents to provide habitat and look after wildlife in their backyards.”

Sam says Space for Nature comes off the back of Envirohub’s Predator Free Bay of Plenty project where locals have been trapping rats in their backyards to protect native birds. 

“This is basically a next step where we can provide some advice, resources, encouragement and inspiration for people to do a few more bits and pieces that help people bring wildlife into their backyard and give them a safe space to live.

“If you take a bird’s eye view of an urban area – gardens do make up a lot of green space in towns and cities, and they’ve got the potential to provide habitats and connectivity between bush areas.”

Sam says people taking part in the initiative are encouraged to sign an informal pledge to make space for nature in their backyard with three promises.

“[The three promises are to provide] a wildlife friendly habitat; keep wildlife safe from predators and pets; and observe what’s going on in their backyard and also connect with what’s going on outside their gates – like their local reserves with their neighbours, their street, trees, berms and gardens.”

When people sign the pledge, they receive a Space for Nature membership and special Space for Nature sign to put on their gate or fence.

“The purpose of that sign is to recognise that effort, but to also inspire other people in their neighbourhood to get involved.

“As part of a membership they also receive a tree to plant in their garden and we’re also going to be running workshops and events to help them with their local community and learn about what they can do – so things like planting different types of native plants that flower at different times of the year to provide food for birds and insects.”

Space for Nature is focusing on Western Bay of Plenty areas in its initial stages.

To find out more about and how to get involved, visit: https://www.waiarikiparkregion.org.nz/home/spacefornature

Schools and businesses can get involved too!