This Valentine’s Day, show someone you love them and the planet by helping plant one of Aotearoa’s most endangered and beautiful flowering plants.
Less than one hundred ngutukākā remain in the wild. Also known as kākābeak plants, these are popular in-home gardens for their stunningly beautiful flowers, but are popular in the wild with all the pests who do so much damage: goats, cattle, possums, slugs and snails.
Now, thanks to the work of a small and dedicated and passionate group of people on the East Coast, ngutukākā has a fighting chance at coming back from the brink of extinction. Almost one thousand seedlings were planted and nurtured to full health in appropriate positions around the Tairāwhiti region last year.
“There were once only around 100 ngutukākā left in the wild, but thanks to our team of amazing volunteers we planted over 800 last year,” says Graeme Atkins, Founder of Tairāwhiti Ngutukaka. “Everyone should know the stunning beauty of ngutukākā in the wild, as our tīpuna used to see them. We need your help to grow more seedlings and establish these taonga species not just in our gardens but into our native forests.”
For much less than the price of a dozen red roses - you can plant five of these taonga and treasured species. You can show someone you love them and the planet too.
“This Valentine’s Day we are asking you to give something really meaningful and share the aroha” says Stu Muir, Chair of the Endangered Species Foundation. “We want to reclaim Valentine’s Day for our most endangered species so we can all give back and help our most endangered species survive and thrive.”
Your donation will help plant more of these treasured plants and in return you will receive a beautiful Valentine’s e-card to gift to someone you love.
The ngutukākā / kākābeak once flowered across the whole East Cape but now it is one of our most endangered plants. You can read more about how Maori-led kaitiakitanga is reviving Tairawhiti Ngutukaka - East Coast Kakabeak here.