Abi Cunninghame
Project Manager
Pest Free Howick is a community-led conservation programme working to restore the ecological health of the Howick Ward. We bring together local residents, volunteers, schools, and partner organisations to protect and revive our native taonga — the birds, insects, trees, streams, and wider ecosystems that make our home unique.
We proudly acknowledge Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki as the mana whenua of the places we work. Their enduring connection to the land, waters, and wider taiao informs and grounds the mahi we carry out across the Howick Ward.
We are a living and working example of a beautifully restored environment with vibrant, healthy, thriving native trees, streams, birds, insects, reptiles and fish. Our people show exemplary work for the wider community.
Pest Free Howick is funded by the Howick Local Board and Auckland Council and operates under the umbrella of the Ōtara Waterways and Lake Trust, who provide governance, operational support, and partnership across a wider regional network. This structure enables us to deliver high-quality community conservation work while staying closely connected to local priorities and voices.
We focus on practical, hands-on action — from predator control and habitat restoration to environmental education and community empowerment. Our team supports neighbourhood groups, runs projects in parks and reserves, and works alongside schools and teachers to help tamariki build a deep, lifelong connection to te taiao.
Conservation mahi has never been more important in Aotearoa. Our native species are facing immense pressure from habitat loss, introduced predators, and the impacts of a changing climate. While government and council play a critical role, lasting change relies on communities coming together — street by street, school by school, reserve by reserve.
That’s where Pest Free Howick comes in. We are here to make conservation accessible, local, and meaningful. And we can’t do it alone. Every person who gets involved — whether through volunteering, learning, sharing knowledge, or supporting projects — contributes to a healthier future for our neighbourhoods and our native species.
Together, we can help Howick thrive, today and for generations to come.
