In a disheartening blow to conservation efforts, an illegal bike track carved through a patch of native bush in Wellington has left members of a local conservation group in tears. Wild Aro co-leader Anthony Hawkins expressed his anguish over the incident, which saw the destruction of precious native trees in Ngā Kumikumi/Devon Street Gully.
“I couldn’t believe it, really. There were a few tears within the group when it happened,” Hawkins told 1News, emphasizing the need for respect in their mission to create a shared forest space.
The destruction was discovered over the weekend by a local resident who witnessed the culprits working at night. Hawkins reported that the offenders, believed to be teenagers, used chainsaws and other tools over several nights to clear the area and build a mountain biking jump.
“We had one of our people discover them at night time, and she came down and shone a torch on them. They told her to go away,” Hawkins recounted.
The felled trees included slow-growing species such as tawa, kahikatea, and miro, alongside nikau, māhoe, and other native flora. For six years, Wild Aro has been diligently planting trees, trapping pests, and clearing weeds in the area. Te Aro School has also contributed to the reforestation efforts, with principal Sue Clement noting the educational benefits for students who enjoy seeing native wildlife return to the reserve.
Wellington Mountain Bike Club president John Baddiley condemned the unauthorized trail building, stressing the importance of working with landowners to get proper authorization. He lamented that such incidents cast a negative light on the mountain biking community, which invests significant volunteer hours in maintaining and enhancing trails.
“It’s just disappointing because it detracts from the amazing volunteer work that mountain bikers do every year,” Baddiley said, highlighting the 6,500 hours of trail maintenance, trapping, and planting his club performed last year alone.
The Wellington City Council has responded by promising temporary fencing and signage at the site, as well as assistance with replacement planting. The council’s spokesperson praised the “incredible mahi” of volunteer groups like Wild Aro and expressed disappointment over the incident. A park ranger has assessed the damage, and the council is urging the public to participate in approved trail-building projects rather than undertaking unauthorized works.
Both Wild Aro and the council will increase monitoring of the Ngā Kumikumi reserve, with plans to ramp up surveillance and install additional signage. The council also advised contacting them immediately if covert activities are observed in parks and reserves to ensure prompt action.
Anyone with information about the incident is encouraged to contact Wild Aro on Facebook or the Wellington City Council.
