Te Kōawa Mahinga Kai Restoration Project

The Te Waiau Mahika Kai Trust is embarking on a comprehensive ecological and mahinga kai restoration project to restore the 445 ha Māori-owned land at Te Kōawa Tūroa o Takitimu.

The aims of this project are:

  • to protect and enhance the ecological and mahinga kai values at this site;

  • to reconnect people back to the land by promoting the use and access to the site, particularly for the benefit of all Murihiku Rūnanga, and more broadly Ngāi Tahu; and

  • to promote the cultural significance of the site in the context of the Takitimu Range.

This restoration will be done using a holistic approach encompassing ki uta ki tai philosophy – from the mountains to the sea.

The restoration and protection of this valley will also provide a refuge for indigenous wildlife by providing habitat, a food source and protection from introduced pests. It will provide a wildlife corridor from the Takitimu Conservation Area through to Fiordland National Park and the Te Wāhipounamu Unesco World Heritage Area.

The Te Kōawa Mahinga Kai Restoration Plan has been developed based on the original Jericho Restoration Plan that was prepared in 2001 by Lucas and Associates, and incorporates the Strategic Vision 2020–2030 adopted by the Te Waiau Mahika Kai Trust. The original Jericho Restoration Plan will be retained for reference.

Consultation is underway with iwi on the restoration plan.

Mahinga kai species

A wide variety of native species that are likely to have been naturally present at the site can be used for mahika kai or rongoā Māori. These will be returned to the site and protected so they can flourish.

Kahikatea berry, by Jon Sullivan

Kahikatea

The edible berries of the kahikatea tree are known as koroī and were gathered by Māori people in great quantites. The other parts of the tree are also used for rongoā Māori.

Photo © Jon Sullivan

 

Tōtara berry. Photo © Tony Foster

Mahinga kai species include:

  • tuna/eel,

  • kanakana/lamprey,

  • kōura/freshwater crayfish,

  • harakeke/flax,

  • tī kōuka/cabbage tree,

  • mānuka,

  • raupō/bullrush,

  • taramea/speargrass,

  • karamū/coprosma robusta,

  • koromiko/hebe,

  • kōhūhū/pittosporum,

  • kōwhai,

  • mingimingi/coprosma propinqua,

  • aruhe/bracken fern root,

  • tōtara,

  • kahikatea.

Mahinga Kai Restoration Project

The main strands of the project include:

  1. Establish a network of tracks across the site to support mahinga kai gathering, pest control, weed control, revegetation and recreation.

  2. Monitoring of birdlife, pest species and native regeneration to track the progress and effectiveness of the restoration project.

  3. Feral pig control, using trapping and hunting.

  4. Site wide intensive pest control using traps and bait stations to target possums, mustelids, cats and rats.

  5. Weed control for wilding conifers and other woody weeds, as well as gorse and broom in priority areas.

  6. Waterway restoration via riparian planting.

  7. Native revegetation, involving planting indigenous species for a food source and habitat for native birds, and a seed source for natural regeneration. Specific plants for mahinga kai and rongoā māori (traditional Māori medicine) will also be planted.

  8. Community involvement, education, Mātauranga Māori.

  9. Carbon Forest - a long term project to re-establish a podocarp forest on site via an exotic forest transitioning to native forest over 50-60 years.