Regional parks volunteer events
Help protect and restore your rivers and parks! Join us this winter for native planting and rubbish clean-up events across Waitaha/Canterbury. Every action you take supports healthier waterways, thriving ecosystems, and cleaner outdoor spaces for everyone to enjoy.
Planting events
Get your gloves dirty for a good cause! Each winter, we set out to increase and enhance native plantings along the river corridor.
Riparian planting is a powerful way to protect and rejuvenate our waterways, helping to ensure thriving rivers and ecosystems for generations to come.
Our planting events take place between June to September, each starts with a planting tutorial and finishes with a catered BBQ lunch. All our planting events are eligible for credits with the Children's University. Check back here in April for a list of events in 2026. If you want to get in touch with the ranger team please email: Duty Ranger inbox
Clean-up events
Come along to our rubbish clean-up events and help us maintain a clean and safe space for people to gather and enjoy the outdoors.
Rubbish pick-up events are a simple but powerful way to care for our environment.
Rubbish dropped in the parks can end up along our coasts and oceans after getting blown into our rivers and being dragged downstream.
If we keep our riverside parks clean, we reduce the amount of rubbish ending up on our beaches.
Wetland clean-up 2026
- When: Sunday, 1 Febraury 2026
- Where: Waimakariri River Regional Park - Te Rauakaaka
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What to bring: Water bottle, keep cup for tea/coffee, sturdy shoes or gumboots.
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Provided: Kai/BBQ lunch, drinking water, portaloo and hand sanitiser, bags, gloves.
All ages are welcome, and children are the responsibility of their parents or guardians. We recommend sturdy shoes or hiking boots.
Waimakariri off-road clean-up 2026
- When: Sunday, 9 August 2026
- Where: Waimakariri River Regional Park - Harrs Road on the upstream side of the Eyre River Ford. Best access if it's been wet is from Diversion Rd.
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What to bring: Water bottle, keep cup for tea/coffee, sturdy shoes or gumboots.
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Provided: Kai/BBQ lunch, drinking water, portaloo and hand sanitiser, bags, gloves.
All ages are welcome, and children are the responsibility of their parents or guardians. We recommend sturdy shoes or hiking boots.
Register for events
Any questions? Please email duty.ranger@ecan.govt.nz. Event information will be sent to the email address you provided in the registration form approximately 2-3 days before the event. Any cancellation messages will be sent via text to the cell number provided on the day of the event.