Over its 20+ years RLT’s keen local volunteers have planted thousands of native trees, shrubs and grasses in habitats ranging from salt marsh to wetland to forest, enhancing existing ecosystems and in some places re-establishing them. Weeding programmes target invasive species such as ginger, wattle, pampas grass, banana passionfruit, tobacco weed and Japanese honeysuckle. Current projects include the ongoing restoration of the Pipiroa Te Wahapu catchment wetlands in partnership with Living Waters BOI and ginger removal in the Kororāreka Reserve by local residents.

The Trust has been working with local residents and pupils from Russell School and Northland Regional Council CoastCare to restore the dunes at Oneroa Long Beach. Spinifex, pingao, wiwi and other native plants have been planted around existing patches of spinifex and temporary fencing put in to protect the plants from people walking on and off the beach. Sand-ladders have also been put in to improve access down to the beach and reduce erosion by foot traffic.