Te Kahui Maunga e puna kakano ma te Manu

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Our legacy will be an abundance of bird life within areas of native plantings that connect Te Kahui Maunga (Maungatautiri, Kakepuku o Kahu, Te Kawa and Pirongia o Kahu). There will be Puna Kakano, these are native biodiversity plantings which will provide kai for Manu as they traverse our landscape. The Manu will spread native seed across vast areas which if protected will regenerate.

The purpose of this application is to build momentum by working with a committed landowner located near Parawera, north-west of Maungatautiri. This will be the beginning of a regenerative programme across a landscape which has been cleared of native flora and fauna.

Te Kahui Maunga e puna kakano ma te Manu builds on giving effect to creating biodiversity corridors within the Waipā District Plan.

The goal of the initial planting is to retire, wetland, riparian and marginal sideling areas with vegetation that will provide equal or greater ecological and riparian buffer values relative to those that are lost.

Planting recommendations aim to increase the complexity and height of the existing vegetation on one side of the waterway while also maintaining clear areas to allow subsequent maintenance activities (if required) where opportunities allow. This will provide greater shading of the waterway prior to maintenance works and a continuous vegetated corridor for terrestrial fauna.

Visual observations will be undertaken by walking the length of the restoration / enhancement sites to collect qualitative data on bird life. Monitoring and maintenance will continue until the plantings become self-sustaining and no longer require maintenance.

Once this project has proven successful, PRC will identify further environmental enhancement and restoration projects within the Waipā District Plan biodiversity corridors to expand this initiative. It is envisaged that PRC will apply for further funding based on a proposed works programme model to achieve an agreed set of objectives and deliverables to a specific budget and timeframe.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The project has three key objectives to be achieved over a three-year duration (2021, 2022 and 2023), including;

• A total of 11.8 kilometres of riparian margins (including riparian, wetland and marginal sideling areas) is fenced providing stock exclusion, with setbacks providing increased soil and streambank stability;
• 72,195 eco-sourced native trees are planted, providing increased shade, shelter and food for indigenous fish with the co-benefits of terrestrial biodiversity; and
• To be the initial stage of a wider legacy project, focusing on biodiversity corridor enhancement in the Waipā district.

PROJECT ALIGNMENT

This project is aligned with 1BT outcomes by specifically contributing to:

• The increased sustainable regional development through tree planting initiatives;
• Improved support of Māori aspirations to make use of their land and resource through trees (in this case the marae-based propagation of eco-sourced native trees);
• Enhanced environmental sustainability by establishing trees, in particular:
  • Reducing erosion, improving water quality, focussing on at-risk catchments and/or
  • restoring natural forest, and
  • Enhancing indigenous biodiversity by restoration natural forest.
• Increased employment, training or work readiness with forestry and land management. In addition, this project contributes to several of the following government objectives:

• Enhance economic development activities;
• Create sustainable jobs;
• Enable Māori to reach full potential;
• Additionality – build value on what is already out there;
• Boost social inclusion and participation;
• Help meet New Zealand’s climate change targets;
• Increase employment and productivity; and
• Enhance natural capital.

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