Celebrating college conservation efforts

Luka and Andrea out on one of their routine trap checks.

We love it when university students join City Sanctuary and get stuck in volunteering! University of Otago Students from Salmond, Knox and Aquinas College manage their own trap lines close by to the Colleges. Luka and Andrea from Salmond College recently shared their motivations for volunteering with us.  

Luka, who is originally from Auckland, had previous experience in predator control in the Wellington and Nelson regions. He began volunteering with City Sanctuary earlier this year and Andrea, who moved here from Norway, joined him to find out more then signed up too. Their love of conservation and the outdoors means that volunteering with City Sanctuary was a perfect match for them.  

Since the pair started volunteering, they’ve seen firsthand what a difference trapping makes, and they often have native birds darting around them as they walk the trapline.  While it’s lovely to have native birds filling the space, they have also noticed that rubbish accumulates in these spaces too. They now also have their sights on recruiting more College residents to join them in collecting rubbish in the area. We love the manaaki Luka and Andrea are bringing to their local area. Thanks for helping make it beautiful for everyone to enjoy!