St Lukes Environmental Protection SocietyProtecting Meola Creek's environs since 2005
St Lukes Environmental Protection Society (STEPS) was incorporated in 2005. Its purpose is to protect and enhance the environment and amenities in the St Lukes area. Read more ...
On 21 June 2026, volunteers from STEPS and Forest & Bird Youth came together for a planting and weeding day Wātea Reserve. A total of 175 plants were planted and these included harakeke, putaputaweta, tī kōuka, mānuka, swamp astelia and Carex secta. Wātea Reserve contains a spring surrounded by seepage wetlands which are the source of a tributary of Meola Creek and therefore water quality in the waterway from this point downstream is strongly affected by the ecological condition of the site. Over the next few years, STEPS aims to restore areas of this reserve, not just to enhance the biodiversity of the area and the wider Waitītiko-Meola Creek Catchment, but also to increase the community’s resilience against flooding. The next upcoming working bee will be at 10am, 22 August 2026, where we’ll be mulching our new plants (in prep of a scorcher El Niño summer), followed by a Flood Resilience planting day at 10am, 5 September 2026. We hope to see you there!
After several years of working next to the Roy Clements Treeway, the Central Interceptor has bid us farewell, and STEPS is looking forward to new beginnings this Māori New Year!
Invitation: Take a walk along the Treeway this Saturday, 18 July 2026, have a look at some of the new plantings and stop by where the Central Interceptor site used to be. We’ll be there at 1.30pm with some home baking, so come by for cookies and a chat.
In some Native languages the term for plants translates to “those who take care of us”, according to botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer. If you’re interested in getting involved or being a STEPSmember, we look forward to hearing from you too!
Here’s to a healthier awa and a thriving ngahere, Mānawatia a Matariki!
This report by Caleb Clarke of Morphum, was produced for the Water NZ Stormwater Conference in 2012. It is the most comprehensive assessment of future Meola Creek options. KEYWORDS: Stream Restoration and Naturalisation, Floodways, Stream Day-lighting, Property Purchase, Urban Design
