Volunteer Sol Walsh at a community planting day at Te Ao Hou Marae during which 2000 natives were planted. Photo / Horizons Regional Council
Volunteer Sol Walsh at a community planting day at Te Ao Hou Marae during which 2000 natives were planted. Photo / Horizons Regional Council
A community effort to create more space for whitebait to spawn in the Whanganui River came up against an unexpected snag: an old dump site on the river’s edge.
The work between the Department of Conservation (DoC), Te Ao Hou Marae and Horizons Regional Council chose a riverbanksite beside the marae for the restoration project.
But preparation earthworks at the site discovered the area had been used in the past as an informal tip.
The discovery put a temporary halt to the conservation work.
He said the restoration had been part of the marae community’s vision but the involvement of DoC and Horizons had helped speed up the work.
An aerial view of the whitebait habitat restoration area on the banks of the Whanganui River. Photo / Horizons Regional Council
The work had been supported with Whanganui tribal knowledge systems, while science and collaboration with the wider community were also important aspects of the restoration.
“Healing the river is also healing for us. We want to create a paradise,” Hipango said.
“If we lay the groundwork, the next generation will hopefully inherit an awa that’s in better condition. Ko te awa te mātāpuna o te ora – the river is the spring of our wellness. Not just for our people but for the river herself.”
DoC is working in a partnership with others to restore the Whanganui River catchment under its Ngā Awa river restoration programme. The programme focuses on restoring 14 priority river catchments around the country.
Taylor said the work in Whanganui began in response to a survey showing how little spawning habitat was available in the lower Whanganui River.
“It has been truly collaborative in the way neighbours and our many contractors have worked closely with the marae to agree on an approach,” Taylor said.
“The first step was to remove willows, pampas and other weeds before reshaping the bank to reduce steepness.
“A gentler slope means more area is under water in the big spring tides when atutahi lay their eggs.”
A community planting day at the marae recently put in place more than 2000 native plants to help stabilise the bank and provide spawning habitat.
