TUMUTUMU KAITIAKI TAIAO

The current conservation efforts of Ngāti Tumutumu are based around removing pest plants from the western side of Mt Te Aroha and the ongoing management and maintenance.

Their long-term goal is to restore the ngahere to what it previously was, with a flourishing native plant and bird life. This conservation project is based on the western face of Mt Te Aroha and includes the walking tracks south towards Wairongomai Valley and across the summit.

Te Aroha maunga is sacred to not only the people of Ngāti Tumutumu but many surrounding iwi as well. The maunga is an important part of the community as a whole and the tīma feel it’s important to acknowledge this in the work that they do.

Providing an opportunity for whānau to return home and work on the maunga is an important goal of Tumutumu Kaitiaki Te Taiao.

“This chance to have a lasting impact on the ngahere is not lost on us and we want to be able to create something sustainable for all our future generations,” says Ngāti Tumutumu Trust General Manager Jill Taylor.