About the Riverlea Environment Society Inc

The Riverlea Environment Society RESI is a not-for-profit environment group that was formed in early October 2007 by residents of the Riverlea, Hillcrest and Newell Road areas on the south-eastern edge of the city of Hamilton, New Zealand.

The quiet suburban streets of the Riverlea and Berkley quadrants of Hillcrest and the country living zone of Newell Road have at their centre a well-established strip of industrial land along Riverlea Road. This strip is bounded on the eastern side by the high-quality residences of the Riverlea quadrant and on the other three by the environmentally sensitive Mangaonua Esplanade, the bush clad banks of the Waikato River and the lifestyle blocks of the Newell Road area. Nearby is the ecologically significant area of  Hammond Bush, home to the rare native long-tailed bat.

Our objectives are to protect and enhance the environmental and other amenity values of the area. We engage with local government on matters of town planning and resource consent processes that we feel will impact the quality of life in the area.

We carry out monthly working bees in Hammond Bush, removing weeds and planting. We follow the restoration plan written for the bush by restoration ecologist Professor Bruce Clarkson.