Volunteer groups including Bike Wanaka, Wai Wanaka, Wanaka Backyard Trapping and Southern Lakes Sanctuary spent several hours weeding, planting native trees, improving tracks and laying trap lines in the Kirimoko subdivision reserve.
Bike Wanaka president Ewan Mackie said the project aimed to improve habitats for wanted species such as birds, skinks and humans.
The new Kirimoko traps were bought using a grant from the New Zealand Mountain Film and Book Festival.
"This — in terms of peri-urban Wanaka — is one of the biggest extents of native vegetation.
"They were planted about five years ago and are going really really well.
"The idea here is getting everyone together whenever we are planting beautiful areas, to make sure we are creating habitats for the right species ...
"We don’t want to create habitats for predators," he said.
The joint project was not just about trapping and planting, but about encouraging tamariki and creating healthy communities, Mr Mackie said.
Wai Wanaka programme manager Prue Kane said she was "really excited" about working with other groups to protect backyard environments, increase biodiversity and encourage urban dwellers to use pest control.
More Wanaka Backyard Trapping projects could be expected in coming months, she said.
Wanaka residents concerned about the town’s exploding rabbit population were also treated to a talk about predator-prey dynamics by Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research scientist Dr Grant Norbury, of Alexandra, on Thursday night.
