Published: Tuesday, 25 August 2026
Volunteers came together at the Port Saddle on Sunday 23 August to plant 300 native plants and support the ongoing restoration of native habitat above Lyttelton.
The annual community planting day, organised by Lyttelton Port Company and the Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust (BPCT), focused on the College Road side of the 17-hectare covenant.
The plants were grown from eco-source seed collected from the Port Hills area and form part of the long-term restoration programme at Port Saddle.
LPC Head of Environment and Sustainability Crystal Lenky said the event continues to bring people together in support of the environment.
“It’s fantastic to see volunteers working together. One of the best things about Port Saddle is seeing people come together year after year. Some of the volunteers have been working with us since the beginning,” said Crystal.
The successful planting day was supported by volunteers from Christchurch Airport, who joined LPC and BPCT on the Friday before the event to prepare the site by digging planting holes and getting the area ready for the community volunteers.
Their efforts helped ensure Sunday’s planting day ran smoothly and that all 300 native plants were in the ground by the end of the day.
The planting programme is part of LPC’s ongoing commitment to restoring native habitat and improving biodiversity across Port Saddle.