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About Us
Restoring Nature is a locally owned environmental consultancy based in Warkworth, north Auckland. We specialise in providing the environmental knowledge and technical support our clients need, to help manage, protect, and restore the natural environment.
We work with local council, government departments, community groups and private landowners, providing environmental education, environmental assessment and monitoring, and restoration action plans for both freshwater and land-based ecosystems.
Our goal is to assist people in protecting, restoring, and enhancing our land and waters.
Our Values
Our vision is to help connect people to the natural environment, through education and knowledge sharing, and promote sustainable, healthy ecosystems.
Sustainability is at the heart of what we do
Actions need to be sustainable, not just for the environment, but socially, economically and culturally.
The Science matters
We believe in robust science, best practice and informed decision making.
Connection is everything
Our connection with the land and water, our team, community and clients is key to everything we do.
Our philosophy is simple: an investment in the environment is an investment in the future.
Get to Know Us
Our team have spent the last 25 years working to create sustainable environmental change.
Sophie Tweddle
Director, Freshwater Specialist
Sophie brings 23 years of experience in the field of nature conservation to the table. Holding a bachelor’s degree in Geography, she worked as a botanical surveyor and bat specialist in England, before moving to New Zealand in 2008. Here, she has worked for regional government and non-government organisations, primarily as a freshwater advisor.
Sophie set up Restoring Nature in 2016, with the goal of furthering her passion for helping others learn about and restore the natural environment.
Along with skills in freshwater ecology and monitoring, she also has a love of plants, nurturing her own small-scale, native plant nursery at home. One of her biggest achievements to date is re-wilding the lifestyle block she owns with her husband in Warkworth.
Associate; Soil and Land Health Specialist
Shelly Hackett
Shelley has been working in conservation since finishing her degree in Wales in 1996. She has a wide range of experience, working in both the UK and New Zealand, as a consultant undertaking vegetation surveys, bush and wetland assessments and freshwater monitoring.
More recently, she worked in a Principal role for Auckland Council (Healthy Waters) managing and delivering a catchment wide sediment reduction project for the MInistry for the Environment, in the Mahurangi Catchment north of Auckland.
Her qualifications include a BSc Hons in Countryside Management, Certificate in Advanced Soil Conservation and Community Based Social Marketing.
Her passion is working with rural landowners, supporting them to protect and restore their land so they can sustainably farm it.
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Liz Woodward
Associate: Communication & Stakeholder Engagement Specialist
Liz weaves over 20 years of experience into a tapestry of engagement and communications skills that benefit any project or organisation.
She's worked with councils and government agencies, environmental and infrastructure projects, and not-for-profits across Auckland and Northland.
Liz is an insatiably curious dog-loving bibliophile. She holds a Bachelor of Communication Studies with a background in marketing, event management and community engagement. She is passionate about making a difference in her community and environment.
Liz is currently undertaking a wetland and native restoration project with her partner on their lifestlye block by the Kaipara Harbour.