School Community Projects

Case Study: The Nuhaka Awa Project

The Nuhaka Awa Project came into being for two reasons, which were:

• the concerns held by members of Ngati Rakaipaaka about the erosion of the Nuhaka River just upstream of an important waahi tapu, or sacred site;
• and the vision Nuhaka School principal Nick Chapman had of mapping all the river catchments in the area.

The enthusiasm shown by his students for exploring the nature of their waterways made the project possible.

The kaupapa or philosophy of the Project is that of Ngati Rakaipaaka:

Moumoukai te Maunga e rere ana te Awa o Waitirohia tae atu ki Nuhaka ka puta te Moana Nui a Kiwa: “From the mountain Moumoukai, down the Waitirohia and the Nuhaka Rivers, to the Great Ocean of Kiwa.” A series of separate initiatives are linked together under the holistic, catchment-based philosophy embodied in this whakatauki.

At the mouth of the Nuhaka Awa is a rich mosaic of coastal landscapes that includes dunelands, estuarine wetlands and coastal bluffs. The Ngutu Awa Protection and Enhancement Project aims to restore and enhance the fish and bird habitat and waahi tapu in the area, by:

• fencing stock from the riparian areas
• replanting with indigenous species
• continuing an intensive predator pest management programme
• and promoting the Project to other landowners to facilitate their participation.

The Project currently reflects a partnership between local landowners, the Department of Conservation, Hawkes Bay Regional Council, Te Iwi o Rakaipaaka Inc and Te Matauranga Kura Taiao.

The National Waterways Project is working with plantation forest owners and managers, Forestry Stewardship Council representatives, researchers, environmental organisations, local government and hapu, to develop best practice guidelines for protecting the small streams at the headwaters. This project straddles the headwaters of two catchments, and focuses on developing an integrated catchment management approach to planning and land development.

The third part of the project involves the National Waterways Project and the Whitebait Connection working with Nuhaka School and Te Iwi o Rakaipaaka to research the biodiversity and water quality of the streams within the catchments, and to map these as an ongoing educational and environmental monitoring resource.

Encouraging genuine restoration of the catchments, riparian areas, wetlands and river deltas requires the availability of plants sourced from local seed stocks.

To this end, Te Iwi o Rakaipaaka has established a native plant nursery, with a particular focus on riparian species. We have been fortunate to have had the guidance of the Whakaki people immediately to our south, who already have a thriving nursery supporting their wetland restoration work, and Tairawhiti Polytechnic to the north, who have germinated seedlings for us in their propagating house while we get established.

Plans for the future include:

• Map the catchments and explore some aspects of their bio-physical diversity
• Map the cultural and historical aspects of the Awa and Ngutuawa (river mouth)
• Establish a freshwater ‘hub’ of information and resources that can support neighbouring districts in their mahi
• Develop the nursery
• Continue to advocate for biodiversity values with landowners and the wider community
• Build relationships with local landowners to establish riparian plantings and monitor their benefits, etc
• Research and trial indigenous production landscape development
• Build on existing relationships and develop new ones
• Monitor improvements/changes in biodiversity values
• Advocate for ‘Significant Waterway’ status for the awa and catchment, and disseminate information about our research and project development.