New Zealand’s nature is what makes us special. Over 80% of New Zealand’s wildlife is found nowhere else on earth. Much of this occurs in National Parks and public conservation land away from people. Yet 86% of New Zealander’s live in urban areas.
Urban Wildlife Trust is a not for profit organisation connecting people with urban wildlife through citizen science, technology & social media. Our aim is to help restore, sustain and enhance the mauri of urban nature, and ensure native wildlife is an integral part of people’s daily life.
Our mission is to deliver projects, innovation and advice to support the restoration and celebration of indigenous wildlife in towns and cities.
Nature is central to creating livable cities and cities play an important role in supporting nature.
We are proud to be part of a community sharing the kaupapa of the significance of indigenous urban nature, and kaitiakitanga of native wildlife.
Urban Wildlife 100% NZ made
Beauty found in every corner
Urban Wildlife Connections
”Urban Wildlife Trust were fantastic to work with on our nest and viewing camera project. From organising the equipment, the installation and their support following install, their work and support has been very much appreciated. The live-streams have been working wonderfully and have proven very popular!
Dr Philippa Agnew - Science and Environmental Manager, Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony
Tumbleweed Tees
$95
2023
“Tumbleweed Tee’s has been supporting Kererū Discovery through a percentage of sales via their Kererū T-Shirt”
Urban Wildlife Website Donation
$50
2023
If you would like to help with the work we do here at Urban Wildlife Trust you can make donations via the button below

Tumbleweed Tees
$52.38
2023
“Tumbleweed Tee’s has been supporting Kererū Discovery through a percentage of sales via their Kererū T-Shirt”
Wellington City Gallery
$200
2022
“Urban Wildlife Trust speaking at the Experts Respond public programme at the City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi”
Department Of Conservation
$2,145.34
2022
“The Live Streaming Kākāpō Cam on Whenua Hou/Codfish Island.”
Waitaki District Council - Funding
$2,500
2022
“This funding grant went towards the delivery of the new Otago Shag Colony Sumpter Wharf, Ōamaru Wildlife Cam”
Wellington Airport Community Awartds
Upper Hutt - Environmental Award Winner
$1,000
2021
“Wellington International Airport, Wellington Community Trust, and the five local councils come together to recognise the work carried out by community groups in the wider Wellington region. The focus of the awards is to celebrate volunteers for their valuable contribution to society”
Wellington Zoo Conservation Grant
$1,425
2021
“Conservation is at the heart of everything we do at Wellington Zoo. This grant has gone towards the Wellington Cable Car Bird Strike Prevention Project”
Givealittle Fundraiser + Website donations
$11,443.75
2021
“May 2021 Urban Wildlife Trust set up a crowdsourcing project on GiveaLittle for a period of 12 weeks. On 2 June 2021, the Cable Car Company posted on social media giving full support and committed to contributing funding to the project.
After weeks of hard work and media coverage getting the story out in the public, as of 26 October 2021 Urban Wildlife Trust has successfully raised a total of $11,443.75 made up from Givealittle funds and website donations”
Nelson City Council
$2,000
2021
“Nelson City Council’s Nelson Nature programme is delighted to support the Great Kererū Count. Every year we see more people becoming engaged with nature through the Great Kereru Count, and we really value the way the count supports community efforts to protect habitat and control predators.”
City Sanctuary - DCC
$5,000
2021
“It’s fun to count our kererū and see our community inspired to protect them. It’s all part of having a healthy environment we care about.”
Wellington City Council
$5,000
2021
“Wellington City Council is proud to be supporting this citizen science project dedicated to gathering vital data to help protect kererū”
Tumbleweed Tees
$56.12
2021
“Tumbleweed Tee’s has been supporting Kererū Discovery through a percentage of sales via their Kererū T-Shirt”

2022 Partnered Community/Citizen Science Projects
Help save the world’s birds during Global Bird Rescue from October 3-9, 2022. Join FLAP Canada, Urban Wildlife Trust and bird conservation groups and members of the public around the world to rescue and document birds that have collided with buildings in your community, while working to make the built environment safer for birds.
Urban Wildlife Team

Stephen loves the fact that tūī, kererū and kākā (three charismatic birds) serenade him on the way to work, eating stir fried noodles from Jasmine Thai, and ecological restoration.

Amber is passionate about connecting people with nature, mainstreaming biodiversity, and delivering conservation through community action.
While working at Wellington City Council, Amber developed and lead a programme positioning Wellington’s urban nature as a competitive advantage, established strategic partners, and ensured that the contribution of nature to quality-of-life was front and centre of the Wellington Story. Strategic initiatives as part of this project included showcase projects (Two Million Trees, Blue Belt, Project Halo, Smart Capital Energy), Water Sensitive Urban Design Guide, foundational membership of the International Biophilic Cities programme, and an urban ecology research partnership with Victoria University of Wellington.
Amber’s leadership across environmental initiatives has led her to national roles in policy development at the Ministry for the Environment, and science and biodiversity strategic leadership at the Department of Conservation.

Since 2013 Tony has been delivering the annual Great Kererū Count, New Zealand’s biggest citizen science project, and he runs Kererū Discovery, a non-profit conservation project set up to help with the protection and education for one of New Zealand's most important endemic birds.
Tony lives with his wife Amber and their son Jesse in Akatarawa, just north of Wellington City.
Originally from Tauranga, he has lived in Wellington for over 25 years, and in the last 10 years has become a self-confessed bird nerd…and don’t even get him started on kererū which is his favourite bird and which, over many years of careful observation he has become an expert in.

She is a self-proclaimed generalist, working across plant, bird, lizard, fish and invertebrate species. She formed the first Council ‘Urban Ecology’ team and has worked across a range of urban wildlife issues. Myfanwy wrote the award-winning Wellington biodiversity strategy - ‘Our Natural Capital’, which a range of innovative programmes sits under. These include investigating metabolic bone disease in kākā chicks, increasing recognition for our urban lizard population, developing Wellington’s cat policy, establishing a dedicated research grant for studying urban wildlife, developing consistent freshwater monitoring protocols and working on Predator Free Wellington. She shares these stories around the country, presenting on the challenges faced by urban wildlife.
Myfanwy is currently the Open Space and Parks Manager at Wellington City Council, continuing to ensure that we weave biodiversity through the city’s DNA.

In his spare time, Matt coordinates a small group of volunteers to look after a local Reserve. He also loves mountain biking and spending time with his wife and fellow trustee Edith and son Carl. Matt is currently Director at Urban Nature Services Ltd.

At Victoria University of Wellington, Kelly developed and implemented a new masters programme in ecological restoration, and her interest in supporting post-graduate education led to her present position as Scholarships Manager at the University of Waikato.
Kelly’s commitment to environmental initiatives led to roles such as an invited international member of the Biophilic Cities Steering Committee. Kelly has served as associate scientific editor for the Journal of the Royal Society of NZ and NZ Journal of Ecology and has been an advisor to conservation organisations including the IUCN Redlist, ZEALANDIA, and NZ Department of Conservation.

Edith has been working in the property industry for 16 years and is currently with a Wellington commercial property firm as their General Manager.
Outside of work, she is on the Property Council’s National Committee for Diversity and Inclusion and on the board of the Wellington Women’s House.
Edith was born in Germany and grew up in a small town in the Eastern part of the country. She immigrated to NZ in 2001 and her family made a conscious decision about staying and living in New Zealand and Wellington in particular. She loves how connected the CBD is to the surrounding suburbs and the green spaces which allows convenient access to mountain biking and walking and she loves how the city welcomes and celebrates cultural diversity.