Maitai restoration attracts $2 million more funding for restoration

Tuesday, 29 September 2020

The Maitai/Mahitahi river has received even more funding for ecological restoration after a combined Te Tauihu effort. (File photo)

Restoration of the Maitai/Mahitaihi river catchment is set to receive another $2 million from the Jobs for Nature programme, on top of the $1.7m it got earlier this year.

This funding will go towards 30 full-time equivalent jobs spread over two years restoring river ecology through riparian planting, controlling pest plants and wetlands restoration.

The funding was secured by a Te Tauihu alliance of iwi, councils, and the Department of Conservation (DOC) known as the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Alliance. It comes from a DOC funding stream of $200m for “nature-based jobs” around the country, called Kaimahi for Nature.

Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese said in a statement the funding answered “two pressing needs” for both job-creation post-Covid, and ecological protection.

**READ MORE:

Council staff, elected representatives, and members of Friends of the Maitai celebrated $1.7m in funding for the Mahitahi just a few months ago.

* Nelson Tasman prominent in $53m top of the south Government investment

* Work begins on multimillion-dollar project to restore water quality in Marlborough Sounds catchment

* Save Kākā Valley group formed to fight planned development

“This will be local people doing the mahi to enhance a natural resource that Nelsonians hold very dear.”

Ngāti Koata Trust general manager and Project Mahitahi co-chair Justin Carter was pleased with the collaborative work in the project, something that reflected the name of the catchment, Mahitahi, “which by its very meaning describes the unity of people working towards a specific goal”. Mahi means work, while the -tahi modifier means ‘as one’.

“The Mahitahi (Maitai) catchment area is a place of cultural significance to iwi so it is pleasing to see a project which brings iwi and crown alliance members together in such a way that enhances our relationships and supports those in our community most impacted by the pandemic.”

Jacquetta Bell of Friends of the Maitai said the funding, along with the earlier $1.7m, was “really significant”.

“It's great to see councils and iwi and the ministry working together on something that is so treasured in Nelson.

“From the Friends of the Maitai point of view, one of our major concerns is the impact on the river of sediment from Pinus radiata [pine] forestry. We expect that planting … under this scheme will allow for significant riparian planting to address this concern.”