Manaia River restoration

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Funded: $855,592 by One Billion Trees, Te Uru Rākau, MPI
Total project cost: $1.36m
Project duration: 3 years
New jobs expected over project life: 5.85

This project, in partnership with Ngāti Pūkenga ki Waiau and Ngaati Whanaunga builds on river management works that have been carried out by the regional council, marae, iwi and adjacent landowners since the 2002 ‘weather bomb’. It will improve river water quality, reduce sedimentation build-up in the harbour and provide opportunities for cottage industry, bringing to life the aspirations of iwi for their awa. The programme of work helps realise the Manaia River Restoration Plan, which was recently developed by landowners and the regional council.

Manaia was well known for its rich abundance of food in the river, estuary and sea. Fishing and mussel farming employ locals (as well as the total immersion school Te Wharekura O Manaia), however changes in the catchment have seen an increase in siltation, runoff and localised flooding resulting in a decline in stream health. In the community there was growing concern about the state of the water and a desire by local iwi and landowners to take action and preserve the awa for future generations.

To help restore the river and catchment, the Manaia community will look to establish a plant nursery, collect eco-sourced seed, grow required numbers and species of plants, undertake site preparation as required, planting, maintenance of native plants and oversight of incorporation of matauranga Māori into this project.

The council’s role is to oversee the project and provide support and advice.

Key activites

A lead team (from Ngāti Pūkenga and Ngaati Whanaunga) established to deliver the objectives of the project.
A coordinator, leading hand and three field operators from the community employed over project duration
Staff trained in first aid, health and safety, the RMA, pest control, electrofishing, chainsaw use, fencing and a heap of other field skills.
3 local whanau plant nurseries set up, which provided plants in year 3 of the project.
39,795 eco-sourced native trees – predominantly wetland species – planted.
6.6 kilometres of fencing completed, mostly along the Tupa Stream all the way to the ngahere in upper catchment (forest area).
Rock and willow groynes installed to slow down erosion at river corners.
A water quality monitoring programme developed.
An upper catchment predator control plan and network developed, with 74 traps installed.
Training a local workforce in planting, weed control and vegetation management.
Installation of a rain gauge at the Manaia Fire Station allowing for an increased understanding of the weather events impacting Manaia.

Environmental benefits:

Improved water quality through reduced sediment and nutrient inputs.
Improved biodiversity through habitat enhancement, weed control, and predator control.

Meet the team

My mum was born and bred here, tangata whenua. I was born and bred here, been here for 54 years, went to the school here. Got brought up by my uncle partway through my childhood. An old kaumatua. One of the great chiefs of the tribe. He taught me practical skills which I am passing on to the boys. Kaitiaki stuff, as guardian of the area. The ngahere, the moana; gathering kai to support our family and the marae and the community.
I’ve worked for the Hauraki Māori Trust Board because of my practical skills. I was a monitor in regards to the mountain, our rivers, the bush, applying mātauranga Māori to the science. I worked for NIWA. We worked out an estuary tool kit and training programme for monitoring sedimentation, mangroves, pippis, water clarity, E.coli in the rivers, that sort of thing. I was a contractor for DOC, monitoring possums pre and post a control operation. I was also a contractor for Waikato Regional Council, doing pest control on Māori land or for people who didn’t want poison on their land. I was the kauri dieback ambassador on behalf of mana whenua. The kauri dieback is an issue we have to discuss with the community. The biggest sanctuary of the Waikato is up in our hills, about a day’s walk from here, up the Manaia River.
Before here, I was working for MEG (Moehau Environment Group), team leader, up in the north. I’ve been away for 10 years. I think there’s some relief I’ve come back to bring my skills to this project.
This is my livelihood. It’s not a job. It’s the way it is. I have accepted and adapted to this way of life. This is an ongoing thing, and the funding has put us at another level. But this project is not just for three years, it’s for more.
I’m going to show some young volunteers the best ways to do things: the ngahere, the trees, the plants, the survival aspect, medicinal plants, edible plants. Help them get an understanding of it as their home; a sense of wellness and wellbeing. Understanding the ngahere. It’s like your house: the ngahere is the walls, Papatūānuku is the floor and Rangi-nui the roof.
My mum and dad were born and bred here, moved to Tauranga, but, as a child growing up, we kept coming back in the holidays. I’ve lived here for 12 years now. We have whakapapa here, relatives here, cousins here, the whole family. I am Ngāti Pūkenga.
This is the place where you can throw the clock away and not worry about time. You get to enjoy the quiet peaceful country life.
I want this community to be happy with their lives. I want them to have the satisfaction of feeling a part of this community. This project will help with that. I like being able to do something for and with the community and building relationships.
I was working in a local café when COVID hit so I was out for the season after that because the café relied on tourism. I ended up doing some educational contract consulting work then along came the project. I used to be a teacher; I’ve worked at the school here. I was the Coromandel region education manager for about two years.
It will be part of my job to coordinate any school involvement. We’d like the school to get involved with the planting of the trees and be part of the water quality monitoring and for the children to learn about that; the importance of monitoring and looking after the environment so it will be there when they are parents and grandparents. A specialty of mine was curriculum development; I’m keen to help the school develop a curriculum that will support the project.
I am hoping the project will create more employment in this community. I am hoping it will start them on a journey of maintaining the work that is being done, and also develop the potential of a cottage industry for each household; like getting them to consider growing trees, like an orchard, and developing a nursery. We are running a field day and inviting special businesses here to talk to the community about ways to bring revenue to the families here; if they want to grow avocado, macadamia or fruit trees.
I’m sort of an outlaw, inlaw. I have been holidaying here for 25 years and moved back for the last 12 years. I’m Trish’s husband, her better half.
I guess it’s home now. It’s been in Trish’s family’s for a long time; she has a lot of bones here. It’s quite sacred, been a few wars back in the day.
I had the necessary skills for the job. I worked on the river eight years ago, a two-year stint; cleared out crack willow and mitigating flooding by removing obstacles.
Was working a little bit local and in Tauranga. Fencing and weed control mostly. Here, we are fencing; we are chainsawing big weeds – Woolley knightshade, gorse, pampas – we’re trying to minimise use of sprays. We will be planting come autumn.
If you have locals doing the job it’s a lot better than if complete strangers come in and work on your land.