There is a growing interest in improving the rate of reforestation for climate change mitigation and preventing biodiversity decline. In New Zealand, a number of reforestation projects are being initiated on ex-farmland hill country. Te Whenua Ora/High Bare Peak (HBP) is a 540 ha ex-farmland area in Banks Peninsula, Canterbury that is now managed for conservation. Approximately 35% of HBP is covered in native forest, with sheep remaining on half the property to manage the grass sward. This presented an opportunity to test how to accelerate reforestation by determining barriers to natural regeneration. First, I used a multifactorial experiment to test the effects of grass competition, herbivory, seed limitation and aspect on the survival of native woody seedlings. North-facing aspects, sheep grazing, and seed limitation all reduced seedling establishment. Grass competition likely occurred, but the grass treatments in spring were not enough to improve seedling survival. Natural regeneration of native trees will be slow in exposed pastures but should be best on southern aspects near seed sources. Second, animal grazing often inhibits the regeneration of woody species under existing forest canopies. The stocking rate of sheep has been lowered at HBP. I placed cut māhoe (Melicytus ramiflorus) branches, potted karamu (Coprosma robusta) seedlings and trail cameras to determine whether palatable species continue to be inhibited due to sheep grazing. Of thirteen sites selected in kānuka forest, ten incurred damage to experimental plants within 30 days. Continuation of sheep grazing in the forest fragments will slow the rate of succession and favour species less palatable to sheep. Third, lack of birds for plant-bird mutualisms, especially seed dispersal, could slow the rate of regeneration. I conducted surveys of bird abundance at HBP and Hinewai Reserve, a well restored 1250 ha native forest in eastern Banks Peninsula. Five-minute bird counts found abundances of bird species that carry out pollinating and seed-dispersing roles were very similar at HBP and Hinewai. This suggests that birds are dispersing sufficient seeds to the surviving forests at HBP and dispersal will not be a barrier to natural regeneration. Manipulation of sheep grazing in pastures with minimal forest should be trialled to improve seedling establishment of less palatable species in pasture, then sheep could be removed once woody pioneers have established. Active restoration (planting) into pasture may need to be considered for areas where natural regeneration is slow to accelerate forest regeneration.