SHARED RESOURCES, GREATER IMPACT 🌿

Helping community conservation groups achieve more together

Supporting community-led conservation takes more than willing hands. Groups need the right tools, equipment and resources to carry out their mahi, monitor progress, engage volunteers and bring their communities along on the journey.

Through RRE’s shared equipment library, member groups have access to a diverse range of resources to support their work across the rohe. By making equipment available to borrow rather than requiring every group to purchase its own, we help reduce costs, make better use of available funding and enable more resources to go towards practical conservation outcomes.

Supporting a wide range of conservation mahi

Every group and restoration site has different needs. One group might be organising a community planting day, another working to control pest animals, while another is investigating the wildlife visiting a local reserve. RRE’s equipment library reflects this diversity, providing practical support for many different activities.

🌱 Planting, restoration and weed control

Getting volunteers out on the ground is a great start, but having the right tools makes a difference. Planting spades, hand trowels, weed extractors, loppers, pruning saws, rakes, sprayers, weed bags and gloves can help groups prepare sites, plant native species and manage weeds. Buckets and other practical equipment also help make working bees easier to organise.

🐀 Pest management and monitoring

Effective pest management relies on the right equipment and an understanding of what is happening on the ground. Groups can access AT220 automatic traps, F Bomb traps, trail cameras and security cases to support their pest management programmes and monitoring activities. These resources can help groups explore new approaches, strengthen existing projects and make informed decisions about their work.

🦇 Wildlife monitoring and biodiversity

Restoration is about more than planting trees. Understanding which species are using a site can help groups build a broader picture of local biodiversity. Trail cameras and Alato AR5 acoustic recorders provide opportunities to investigate wildlife activity and gather information that can inform restoration and monitoring projects.

📣 Events, workshops and volunteer engagement

Community conservation depends on people coming together, sharing knowledge and building connections. RRE’s event equipment includes gazebos, folding tables and chairs, a trailer, portable BBQ, tea and coffee kit, catering equipment and presentation resources. Projectors, screens, speakers, wireless microphones, pull-up banners and display stands can help groups deliver workshops, information evenings, volunteer events and community celebrations.

🦎 Education and community outreach

Helping people connect with nature is an important part of growing community support for conservation. Native animal toys and display equipment offer additional ways to engage children, families and the wider community through educational activities and conservation displays.

Making resources go further

For many community groups, funding needs to cover a wide range of priorities, from plants and pest control supplies to volunteer support and project delivery. Purchasing specialist equipment for occasional use can place additional pressure on limited budgets.

A shared equipment library provides another option. Groups can access resources when they need them, without each having to invest in their own equipment. This approach supports more efficient use of funding, reduces duplication and helps make a broader range of equipment accessible to community groups.

It also creates opportunities for groups to try different approaches, develop their capability and build on the work they are already doing. Together, these benefits help strengthen the community conservation network and support more effective mahi across our rohe.

Easy access through RRE’s online booking system

RRE has made accessing shared equipment straightforward. Member groups can browse the equipment library, check availability and manage their loans and bookings online through the members’ area of the RRE website.

Most items are available to borrow free of charge for three-day periods, helping groups access the equipment they need for planned activities and projects.

We encourage all member groups to explore the library when planning their next working bee, monitoring project, workshop or community event. You may find something that saves your group money, makes a task easier or opens up a new opportunity for your conservation mahi.

By sharing resources, knowledge and connections, RRE helps local groups achieve more together — supporting the people caring for our environment and the restoration work happening across our rohe. 🌿