River wananga to help restore Utuhina Stream

Freshwater crayfish or koura, used to be found in the Utuhina River. Photo/file

A wananga this weekend could be the first step in restoring the Utuhina Stream to its former state as a source of kai and a popular swimming spot.

The Utuhina Stream Wananga has been organised by a group of locals including Ohinemutu resident Lani Kereopa, with support from Te Arawa Lakes Trust and funding from Ngati Whakaue Assets Trust.

It is the first of three wananga planned to help improve water quality in the river, with the goal to see the river returned to a place where kaimoana including koura are present and kids can swim in summer.

Te Arawa Lakes Trust environment manager Nicki Douglas said the trust was thrilled to be involved.

"This is about supporting hapu to work with other agencies and each other, as well as connecting with their own whanau.

"It is great to see communities taking an active role in the kaitiakitanga of the environment and the trust is pleased to support this where we can."

Ms Douglas said one of the trust's primary objectives was to restore the mauri of the lakes and waterways and a key focus was improving water quality so the footsteps of the koura could be "seen", making this project a perfect fit with the trust's values.

"The trust's focus is wider than just environmental objectives, with social, economic and cultural objectives a key part of our work and decision making."

Miss Kereopa said over the last two summers the river had been deemed unsafe for swimming, which spurred her to do something to clean up the river.

"I grew up beside that river and used to be able to collect kai from it, like koura. My daughter, who is 9, has never seen koura in the river. That's happened in the space of one generation."

Miss Kereopa said she wanted to see things change and was working with a wider group in Ohinemutu and Koutu to find ways to improve it.

She said the aim was to clean up Utuhina from the Lake Rd bridge to the river mouth, and then they would look at working with other groups to extend that work.

Sunday's wananga will run from 10am to 4.30pm and involves cleaning up the area, as well as the opportunity for people to capture korero on video about what the river means to them, and the stories around the river. There will also be a children's art project and lunch will be provided.

Utuhina River Wananga
When: Sunday August 13, 10am - 4.30pm
Where: Te Kuirau Marae, Ohinemutu
Everyone welcome, activities for children provided