Nau mai haere mai!

In our second edition of Kotahitanga mō te Taiao ePānui we share three hero stories from our Projects on the ground.

  1. Te Hoiere / Pelorus Restoration Project produces their own newsletter and is engaging at various levels with different activities.
  2. Project Mahitahi has produced a fantastic video about the restoration efforts.
  3. Samantha Gee, Nelson Mail journalist, reporting for Stuff Pou Tiaki, catches up with the Kaimahi for Nature Connection team to discuss the vision for this project.

All three projects take us a step closer to deliver on the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Strategy outcomes.  Both Te Hoiere / Pelorus and Mahitahi Projects are taking a ki uta ki tai (mountains to the sea) approach, which recognises the connected nature of our ecosystems and the connections people have to them.

The Nature Connection programme will build on this by deepening the understanding and appreciation of these taonga with our youth and communities, who will have a critical role in shaping how we ensure people and nature thrive in Te Tauihu.

Enjoy!

Te Hoiere / Pelorus Restoration Project Update

Virtual Field Trip with cultural practitioners from Ngāti Kuia. Captions (left to right): Ariana Banks, Piripoho Barret-Alesana, Julia Eason & Tom Alesana; Ariana interviewing Tom; Ariana and the virtual project team. Credit: Melissa Banks Photography courtesy of the Ngāti Kuia Trust photo library.

Storytelling is all go for Te Hoiere / Pelorus Restoration Project. From the latest Project newsletter, activity engaged by Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Alliance partner, Ngāti Kuia, to the Ronga Reserve Open Day. Read more about what the project team and partners are up to here.

Te Hoiere / Pelorus Restoration Project team have a whole collection of updates and stories to share with you. To read earlier news from the Project team click here.

Project Mahitahi Jobs for Nature Field Trip

Paula des Tombe (Communications Manager, Ngāti Koata Trust)

Last month a large group of Ngāti Koata Trust kaimahi and whānau, representatives from the Kotahitanga mō Te Taiao Alliance, including DOC and Nelson City Council officials, and Jobs for Nature staff took a trip up the Mahitahi Valley, to see the Mahitahi Restoration Project's progress to date.

It was an awesome day out. Project Mahitahi is an environmental enhancement project for the Mahitahi River, which will create nature based employment over the next five years.

This project will see Te Tauihu Iwi, Council, the community and Government working together to improve biodiversity outcomes by planting 125,000 trees, and tackling the weeds and pests that impact on our forests and bird life. For more on this kōrero watch the Project Mahitahi video.

Project Mahitahi is an environmental enhancement project for the Mahitahi River. For more on this kōrero watch the Project Mahitahi video.

Encouraging communities to grow their connection with the environment

The Kaimahi for Nature Connection Programme delivered by Whenua Iti Outdoors is a lofty programme developed from both Western and Te Ao Māori perspectives. It offers many opportunities for young people across Te Tauihu and the northern West Coast to connect into nature. A key aim of the programme is to enhance people’s connection with nature to improve physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing.

Recently, Samantha Gee, Nelson Mail journalist, reporting for Stuff Pou Tiaki, had the opportunity to catch up with the core team co-designing the Kaimahi for Nature Connection Programme. For the latest news about this Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Alliance project read here.

Left to right: Ngāti Koata Trust general manager Justin Carter, instructor Lara Hania, Whenua Iti Kaimahi for Nature Connection lead Dana Carter, Department of Conservation partnerships manager Matt Hippolite and Whenua Iti general manager Mark Bruce-Miller.‌‌ Credit: Stuff.co.nz - Pou Tiaki article.

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