Kia ora e te whānau o Wakatū,
We’re pleased to announce that we’ve secured funding from Wai Māori (Wai Ora Fund) for a wetland restoration project at 188 Staples Street, Motueka. This funding allows us to begin restoring 24 hectares of culturally and ecologically significant land for our whānau.
Known traditionally as Raukūmara, this whenua is part of the original pounamu papakāinga and holds deep cultural significance. After years under Crown lease (1841-1977), Wakatū whānau resumed management in 1977, albeit too many years for the perpetual lease regime to be resolved. Wakatū can now take steps to restore the land in line with the aspirations of our whānau and hapū.
This project aligns with our Whenua Ora Strategy, reconnecting whānau to whenua and supporting our transition to tikanga-led practices across all Wakatū whenua and wai by 2040.
We’re also excited about the potential for collaboration with Whakarewa | Ngāti Rārua Ātiawa Iwi Trust, whose adjacent land could expand the restoration efforts to more than 70 hectares, amplifying both the environmental and cultural outcomes.
This project will not only restore precious ecosystems but also reconnect our whānau and community to this wāhi tapu, fostering environmental stewardship and cultural revival.
A big thank you to Wai Māori for supporting this journey. We will share more information as this project progresses - stay tuned for updates.
Ngā mihi,
Johnny McGregor
Chair, Wakatū Board
