In the past year nearly 6km of riparian fencing has been installed and 32,000 native plants and trees planted along 4,300m of Mangatea Stream, other waterways and wetlands at the 800ha dry stock property at Tauhei.
Taroi Rawiri of Kaahu Taiao, worked with TGH to source funding from Waikato River Authority, the Department of Conservation, Waikato Regional Council and Mercury Energy to enable the work to be done.
“This mahi aims to ensure the health and wellbeing of our tupuna awa, Waikato River, and her tributaries by restoring, enhancing, and protecting farm freshwater,” says Taroi. “Our practise of erecting fencing where the whenua dictates, as opposed to the standard 3m minimum setback, gives certainty of waterways protection.”
Funding has been secured for five years and will include further riparian work at Hangawera and at sister property Mangatea farm.
The project includes the employment of six tribal-owned businesses to carry out the fencing and planting work, and procurement of plants from tribal businesses. More than 90 percent of the funding is being spent on these services. In addition, Waikato-Tainui has funded the training of 60 tribal members in taiao restoration and first aid skills.
Hangawera Station is managed by TGH on behalf of Waikato-Tainui. It was purchased by the Tainui Trust Board in the 1970s and was re-mortgaged to fund the Raupatu negotiations which led to the 1995 settlement with the Crown.