The footpath is one of the short-term goals in the hapu environmental management plan, which was lodged with Bay of Plenty Regional Council in 2015.
Co-author of the plan, Raina Meha, said their hapu had been talking about environmental issues for years through their marae meetings.
She said they decided to inform the council about their cultural and environmental issues, so when the council was doing work in their area they knew who they should approach and contact.
Their tribal areas of interest include those around and within lakes Rotoiti, Rotoehu and Rotoma.
She said they had a lot of Maori Land Trusts which were connected to their hapu, so decided to include these different land entities in the plan too.
This was so the council could talk to Ngati Tamateatutahi-Ngati Kawiti as a hapu and also those trusts that were owners of the land.
The plan was launched in 2015 and took about a year to put together.
Other goals, both short and long term, include continuing and maintaining their papakainga land enhancement project, improving communication with key stakeholders and developing a hapu centre of excellence.
The Rotoiti footpath will be an extension of the existing path that runs from Gisborne Point to Rotoiti School and will be constructed in three stages.
The first stage began in the middle of December and includes vegetation clearing along the side of the road and preparation of the path foundations.
The second stage, the construction period, will start this year and is scheduled to finish in April.
The final stage will focus on native plantings along the length of the path.
During the three stages of work there may be minor disruptions to traffic when contractors are working on areas close to the highway.
The project supports the recent return of Tamatea St to Te Tahuna Trust and the hapu which was decided by the council in October 2015.
To see the plan click here
