Name: Saving Auckland's Heritage Fruit Trees: Healthy Soil, Healthy Trees
Start: 2026-03-28T00:30:00+13:00
End: 2026-03-28T02:30:00+13:00
Location: 1 Olympic Place, New Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand 0600

Saving Auckland's Heritage Fruit Trees: Healthy Soil, Healthy Trees

Learn practical ways you can support food trees and resilient green spaces in your own neighbourhood.
Join Savannah Carter-Green (Kai Rākau Project), Matthew Priestley (Brotherwood), and David Stejskal (Auckland Council Urban Forest, Arboriculture and Ecology team) for a session exploring two connected streams of their work:
The ‘Kai Rākau Food Tree Project’ a living library of heritage fruit trees, sub-tropical food trees and rongoā species, and…
the collaborative programme protecting historic orchard remnants across the Upper Harbour
Hear how these significant trees have been located, rescued and cared for; why they matter culturally, historically and environmentally; and how community partnerships are helping them thrive.
Learn how soil structure, compaction and low carbon levels affect fruit-tree health.
Discover practical solutions with simple indicators to assess soil improvement over time.
Book here: https://events.humanitix.com/saving-auckland-s-heritage-fruit-trees-healthy-soils-healthy-trees
Proceeds from this workshop will help support the Kai Rākau Food Tree Project

ABOUT
Savannah Carter-Green is the founder of the Kai Rākau Project (est. 2010) under the umbrella of the Sustainable Paremoremo Charitable Trust. She leads the creation of a living library of heritage food trees, rare subtropicals, and rongoā rākau across 3.5 acres within the 100-acre Sanders Reserve.
Matthew Priestley is the director of Brotherwood Ltd and leads the soil-health and orchard-restoration work for Auckland Council’s heritage fruit-tree programme.
David Stejskal Urban Forest, Arboriculture and Ecology Manager, Auckland Council
David leads Auckland Council’s Urban Forest, Arboriculture and Ecology team, a group of specialists focused on caring for the region’s trees, green spaces and ecological systems.
This event is part of EcoFest 2026 — a month-long, community-powered festival celebrating nature, sustainable living and everyday climate action across Tāmaki Makaurau. Discover practical ideas, inspiring events and ways to deepen your learning at ecofest.org.nz.