Community Action Stops More Than 5.4 Billion Moth Plant Seeds from Spreading
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by
Abi Cunninghame
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The 2026 Pest Free Howick Moth Plant Pod Competition has concluded with another year of outstanding environmental action, community participation, and inspiring local leadership.
Participants from schools, early childhood centres, community groups, families and individuals across the Howick Ward collected an incredible 206,452 moth plant pods and seedlings during this year's competition.
This equates to a conservative estimate of 5,452,241,250 moth plant seedsprevented from spreading into our parks, reserves, waterways, coastlines and neighbourhoods.
Participants also helped divert 2,560kg of invasive green waste to hot compost, ensuring collected weeds were disposed of safely and responsibly.
Nine Years of Community Impact
What began as a simple initiative to encourage the removal of moth plant seed pods has grown into one of Pest Free Howick Ward's flagship community programmes.
Over the past nine years, participants have collectively removed an incredible 877,791 moth plant pods and seedlings from the environment.
Every pod removed prevents hundreds, and often thousands, of seeds from establishing new infestations. Together, participants have helped slow the spread of one of Auckland's most invasive pest plants while building awareness and understanding of how to identify and control it.
The competition continues to demonstrate what can be achieved when a community works together towards a shared environmental goal.
A Competition That Goes Beyond Pod Collection
While the environmental outcomes are significant, the Moth Plant Pod Competition is about much more than numbers.
The programme provides a practical and accessible way for people to get involved in conservation, often for the first time. It empowers participants to identify and remove moth plant safely, encourages conversations about invasive species, and helps build a stronger culture of environmental stewardship across the Howick Ward.
Schools continue to play a particularly important role, with students taking ownership of projects, educating their peers, involving their whānau, and developing a stronger understanding of kaitiakitanga and environmental responsibility.
This year also saw the introduction of a new points-based system, which better reflected the effort required to collect pods versus seedlings while creating more opportunities for bonus points through community engagement activities. Participants could earn additional points through activities such as attending working bees, promoting the competition through school newsletters, participating in social media challenges, and attending Pest Free Howick events.
Celebrating Our Winners
Preschool Category
🥇 Cascades Kindergarten
- • 6,158 points
- • 1,162 pods
- • 298 seedlings
🥈 KiNZ Mission Heights
- • 5,223 points
- • 999 pods
- • 28 seedlings
🥉 New Shoots Pakūranga
- • 3,205 points
- • 601 pods
Cascades Kindergarten also claimed the title for collecting the most seedlings in the category and were our halfway-point winners.
Whole School Category
🥇 Howick College
- • 75,261 points
- • 14,343 pods
- • 2,246 seedlings
🥈 Howick Primary Moth Busters
- • 51,224 points
- • 8,429 pods
- • 7,479 seedlings
🥉 AWHI – Edgewater College
- • 26,910 points
- • 4,808 pods
- • 2,720 seedlings
Howick Primary Moth Busters also took out the award for the most seedlings collected and were recognised as the halfway-point winners for the category.
Community Category
🥇 Pak Heights Pod Squad
- • 109,752 points
- • 18,634 pods
- • 15,682 seedlings
🥈 Team MothEnd
- • 105,752 points
- • 355 pods
- • 103,450 seedlings
🥉 Youth Project NZ – Pod Busters
- • 13,024 points
- • 1,206 pods
- • 6,494 seedlings
Pak Heights Pod Squad secured first place while also taking out the halfway-point challenge and the award for the thickest moth plant vine. Team MothEnd delivered an extraordinary seedling collection effort, removing more than 103,000 seedlings throughout the season.
Looking Ahead
One of the most encouraging outcomes from this year's competition came through participant feedback.
100% of respondents indicated they intend to continue taking action against moth plant, with many identifying education and awareness raising as key ways they will continue to contribute.
This highlights one of the competition's greatest strengths. Every participant not only removes moth plant but also becomes an advocate for environmental action within their school, family, workplace and community.
As that knowledge spreads, so too does our collective ability to tackle invasive species and protect local biodiversity.
Thank You
Pest Free Howick Ward would like to thank everyone who contributed to this year's competition, including students, teachers, parents, volunteers, community groups, sponsors and supporters.
A special thank you goes to the Howick Local Board for their continued support of the programme and to all those who contributed prizes, resources and encouragement throughout the season.
Together, you have made a meaningful difference to the environment of the Howick Ward and helped demonstrate the power of community-led conservation.
We look forward to seeing what we can achieve together in 2027. 🌿
Photo Credit for the images goes to Diana Borse.
