Kepa Bush Reserve lies on the eastern slopes of the Purewa Creek valley, which flows past Orakei Basin and then into Hobson Bay. The reserve covers 14 hectares and was established in 1962 when the Auckland City Council purchased it from St John's College.
Since then the local community has played an important role in developing the reserve. Tracks have been built, and in 2001 the Council introduced specialist weed management to help promote native bush regeneration. The bush is still growing back after it had been cleared for farming, and it is therefore not mature enough to provide the special habitats (living places and food supplies) required by many native birds. However, a variety of birds visit including tui, fantail (piwakawaka), grey warbler (riroriro), morepork (ruru), silvereye (tauhou) and native pigeon (kereru).
In addition to specialist weed control, the Auckland City Council recognised a need for intensive animal pest control to occur to protect valuable coastal forest plants in the park. Of particular note are the remnant kohekohe (Dysoxylum spectabile) which are described by botanists as being 'cauliflorous'. This is a latin term meaning 'having flowers on the stem'. Kohekohe are extremely prone to possum browsing.
In August 2005, the Council installed a network of animal pest control stations, and team up with local residents. Today 12+ volunteers regularly visit a network of 55 animal control stations to ensure possums and rodent populations remain low.
