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Brooke Foley Liam Winterton Erica Churr Nicola Gainsford
Contents Project Goal Vision Statement Waikato Region Raukawa Area of Association Pikitu Marae Analysis Land Use Capability Infrastructure Hydrology Ecologically Signiticant Areas Maori Cultural Heritage Sites View Shafts Slope Aspect Development and Zoning Poposals Land Suited for Development Development Zoning References
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Project Goal The aim of this project is to investigate the possibilities of a culturally and ecologically sensitive model of communal development for the Ngati Huri people at the Pikitu Marae close to Putaruru in the South Waikato Region of New Zealand. The development will consist of a papakainga which will house a number of Ngati Huri families who wish to return to make their homes on their ancestral lands at the Pikitu Marae. In addition to dwellings, the Ngati Huri
hope to create a self-sufficient, resilient and sustainable community with a diverse range of amenities and which caters to the wide demographics of the Ngati Huri people. Although it is expected that the papakainga’s first residents will be the Hapu’s Kamatua. It is hoped that over time, the Pikitu papakainga will become a large Hapu-based and tight-knit community with a variety of housing options for families of all ages and sizes. The design should have a low or restorative impact on the environment in keeping with
Ngati Huri’s environmental values. Thus a landscape ecological approach will be adhered to in the Pikitu Development stategy using a sound analysis of the site and its surrounding areas in terms of the cultural, economic and ecological values significant to Ngati Huri as well as the area’s physical characteristics.
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Vision Statement Recognising that Ngati Huri’s ancestral land is integral to their physical, spiritual, emotional, social and economic well-being, BLENDesign’s strategy is to design an environmentally responsible, low-impact development that is consistent with Ngati Huri’s goal of protecting, restoring, and enhancing its connection to the land, rivers and streams. By ensuring that the development is designed consistent with Ngati Huri’s values and contemporary environmental principles, we aim to design a papakainga that provides for a vibrant and thriving community on the site.
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Waikato Region The Pikitu Marae is located at Te Waotu, near Putaruru in the South Waikato region of New Zealand. The Waikato region is the fourth largest in New Zealand, covering 2.5 million hectares. It has a population of approximately 404,000 people, of which 84,000 are Maori. These statistics make the Waikato the fourth largest of New Zealand’s sixteen regions and the second largest in terms of its Maori population The Waikato stretches from the Bombay Hills and Port Waikato in the north down to the Kaimai ranges and the north-eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu in the south, and from Mokau on the west coast across to the Coromandel Peninsula on the east coast. The Waikato River is New Zealand’s longest river at 425 kilometres, running from Mount Ruapehu in the south and draining at Port Waikato just south of Auckland. The Waikato is New Zealand’s foremost dairy-farming region. Other significant industries in the Waikato including sheep farming, coal mining, hydroelectricity generation, timber milling and pulp and paper manufacturing. Figures from The Statistics New Zealand 2012 Agricultural Census show that 74% of land in the Waikato is used for grazing, arable, fodder and fallow purposes, 0.52% is used for horticulture, 15.4% is planted production forestry and 10.4% is used for other activities such as urban development. This shows an increase in land devoted to livestock production by 7.2% since 2002, while production forestry has decreased by approximately 24% since 2002.
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RAUKAWA AREA OF ASSOCIATION The Pikitu Marae is located within the ancestral lands of Ngati Huri at Te Waotu. Located around four kilometres from the banks of the Waikato river, the Marae has provided a significant sanctuary for the descendants of their ancestor Huri since the land was constituted as a Maori reservation in 1909. The Pikitu Marae has the distinction of being one of the three marae that forms the spiritual ancestral house of Raukawa of whom Ngati Huri are a hapu. The maori of the Waikato are one of the major groups descended from the voyagers of the Tainui canoe and these include Ngati Raukawa who are descended from Raukawa, himself a descendent from the settlers of the Tainui canoe. Ngati Huri are a Hapu (or subtribe) of Ngati Raukawa who established their ancestral homes in the Waikato, Taupo and Manawatu/Horowhenua regions of New Zealand. The Tainui canoe is thought to have landed at Kawhia on Waikato’s west coast in the mid fourteenth century. Accordingly, their area of influence in the Waikato region is extensive and of long duration.
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PIKITU MARAE For Maori landscape is an inseperable amalgam of history, present and future. It provides the frame for the narratives and tangible form of the ancestors to inform cultural life, and to affirm identity. The Pikitu Marae is the central focus of our site, and our design considerations and strategies. Pikitu Marae is located to the north-west of Tokoroa and south-east of Cambridge. Waikato River and Lake Arapuni are to the east. The history of the Ngati Huri people is intimately linked to the many landmarks left by their ancestors close to the Marae; these connections can be reinforced by the design of the development.
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Analysis
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Land Use Capability The Land Use Capabiliity index indicates that the area of interest comprises predominantly LUC categories 4 and 6. Although some category 3 land lies on the east of the Waikato River. Category 4 land is described as “land with moderate limitations for arable use, but suitable for occasional cropping, pasture or foresty”. Category 6 land is described as “non-arable land with moderate limitations for use under perennial vegetation such as pasture or forest”. Category 3 land is described as “Land with moderate limitations for arable use, but suitable for cultivated crops, pasture or forestry”. Accordingly, the majority of land in the area of interest is not the ideal type of land for agricultural use, notwithstanding its current and past usage as such. As noted earlier, additional land (7%) has been converted from other uses to farming over the last 10 years. This is consistent with the history of farming in the region where early Government incentives promoted sheep and cattle farming, even though much of the land was marginal and could only be farmed with the use of fertlisers. Although Government incentives were eventually removed, this simply resulted in more intensive use of farmland requiring even more fertiliser. In addition to its marginal status for farming, large areas of the Category 3 and 6 lands are susceptible to erosion, as well as having low fertility. A relatively thin strip of land on the east river bank of the Waikato is classified as Category 7, and this is described as “Non-arable land with severe limitations to use under perennial vegetation such as pasture or forest”. This land, which consist of the steep slopes along the river banks, is also susceptible to erosion. There are only small areas of land that are prone to excessive wetness. This map shows that there are a number of potential sites in the area on which the papakianga can be built without utilising any land which is better ustilised for farming
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Scale 1:125 000
Infrastructure The Pikitu Marae is accessed from Wiltsdown road off State Highway one. Other roads in close proximity to the Marae are Old Taupo Road to the east and Waotu South Road to the west. These are sealed roads. However, most minor roads are unsealed, many of which are not even metalled. As noted above the area of interest consists of rolling landscape and therefore many of the roads and accessways are fairly steep. Construction work using heavy machinery in these areas is likely to cause damage to the unsealed roading network with possible consequences of increased sedimentation in streams and so on. Therefore it may be prudent to site the papakainga development in close proximity to the existing sealed roads. Large power lines and pylons traverse the area of analysis with some obstructing the viewshaft towards the east at the front of the Marae. These also need to be taken account of in relation to the location of the papakainga. There is no likelihood of these being removed as they carry power from the Waikato River hydroelectric dams to most of Auckland. The Waikato Bike Trail runs along the river and also through the Jim Barnett Native Reserve, 3.5 kilometres north-west of the Marae. This provides a small influx of people to the area which could help to provide an opportunity for an economic venture such as a cafĂŠ or tourist accomodation. Te Waotu Primary School is located approximately 3 kilometres from Pikitu Marae. Putaruru is located 19.5 kilometres to the north-east of the marae and travelling time is approximately 40 minutes by car. Cambridge is located 51 kilometres to the north-west and travelling time by car is approximately 55 minutes. Tokoroa is 19 kilometres to the south-east and travelling time is approximately 30 minutes. Currently, Pikitu Marae has an electricity supply, but no mains water supply.
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Scale 1:125 000
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Hydrology The Waikato River is New Zealand’s longest river at 425 kilometres and arguably its most heavily used. It begins on the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River and emptying into Lake Taupo. It drains Lake Taupo at its north-eastern edge, creates the Huka Falls and then flows north-west through the Waikato Plains, emptying into the Tasman Sea at Port Waikato just south of Auckland. Eight hydroelectric dams exist on the Waikato River; Arapuni Lake, which is close to the Pikitu Marae, is one of several artificial lakes formed as part of this hydroelectric scheme, which was completed in 1929. The dam is located at the small settlement at Arapuni. The area of interest has an extensive network of streams. The major catchments exist across the area of interest is the Waikato River catchment of which the Waipa River is the largest tributary. The area surrounding the Pikitu Marae is part of the Waikato River catchment. At any one time large amounts of water are stored in Lake Taupo, the hydro lakes and other numerous lakes throughout the catchment. In addition the peat wetlands of the lower Waikato also provide large amounts of storage. This large storage feature ensuers that the peak flood flows in the Waikato River are much less than for other comparable catchments throughout the country, and therefore the risk of floods are reduced. Also note that flood protection mechanisms were installed subsequent to the floods of the 1950s. Lowereing of the water levels in the river has occured (by dredging and sand mining) since the 1950s and this has resulted in drainage of the adjacent wetlands. Rainfall across the area averages at around 3,450 mm per year; peaking in June and July and at its lowest in January and February.
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Scale 1:125 000
Ecologically Significant Areas The area under analysis, was prior to the arrival of the first settlers, covered in indigenous forests. The first wave of settlers (Maori) modified the landscape but the landscape was left predominantly in its indigenous state. However, the majority of the indigenous vegetation was removed in the late nineteenth century when the area was turned to dairy farming by the European settlers. With the removel of the indigenous vegetation, the biodiversity of the area was also significantly reduced. According to Meurk and Swaffield the New Zealand agricultural landscape is largely exotic with little to indicate the rich biogeographical history of the land. In addition to the ecologically damaging effects of fertlisers on the soil, river and streams, removal of the original vegetation, especially along the banks of the Waikato River, have caused significant erosion of the land. Given the sloping topology of the land, retaining some vegetation would have protected it from erosion. Small remnants of indigenous vegetation remain in isolated places, including the Jim Barnett Reserve which has been revegetated with indigenous plants by the Ngati Huri people. Nearby Maungatautari (50 kilometre to the north-west of the marae) was declared an ecological island in 2002. Work in eradicating mammalian predators has enabled the introduction of native bird populations there. Maungatautiri provides a shining example of what effort and persistance can achieve. It should be possible, therefore, with the assistance of neighbouring property owners, to create bird corridors of indigenous vegetation along river and stream margins and between the remnants of indigenous vegetation to create an almost continuous indigenous vegetaitve bird corridor. This should help to encourage birds, such as Piwakawaka (fantails) and Kereru (native pidgeon) and others to reinhabit the area. We suggest revegetating with indigenous plants along the riparian margins to a depth of around 25 metres (15 metres is the minimum suggested under local regulations) and on slopes that are susceptible to erosion (generally those over 20%). Once revegetated the planting would filter nutrients, sediment and bacteria that leave the land as runoff. It could also provides protection against floods and stabilises the banks. In addition, indigenous planting around the marae and the papakainga would encourage biodiversity in those areas and also provide privacy and amenity to the residents.
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Scale 1:125 000
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Maori Cultural Heritage Sites Consistent with Ngati Huri’s long association with the area of interest is the number and diversity of Maori cultural heritage sites in the area. These are both tangible and intangible. Tangible heritage places are those created or shaped by the land’s former inhabitants and include urupa, a number of pa and marae sites, food storage pits, hangi stones, rock art, house sites and so on. Intangible heritage places are those that have no visible feature or physical evidence but where a significant event or traditional activities took place such as eel fishing spots, vegetable gardening and so on. Any or all of the above may also be considered to be wahi tapu (sacred) or wahi taonga (treasures). Obviously, these sites need to be excluded from any development, but also Ngati Huri want to encourage their people to visit these sites and currently many of the sites have no easy or safe access.
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Scale 1:125 000
View Shafts There are several landforms that can be seen in the distance from the Pikitu Marae site, and these include the mountain ranges of the Kaimai-Mamuku Forest Park to the north-east, and Mount Tongariro to the south. Kaimai-Mamuku is roughly 120 kilometres away and Mount Tongariro is roughly 140 kilometres away. The loss of clarity of these ranges that is associated with the increased distance lead us to conclude that neither of these ranges should be an impediment to the siting of the papakainga development. However, our viewshaft map does show several groupings of Maori historic sites that are within close proximity (around two kilometres on average) to the Marae. These include a number of historic pa sites. While there is no tangible evidence of these historical sites, they were created by the land’s former inhabitants – the ancestors of Ngati Huri – and therefore the sites will have a special place in Ngati Huri’s cultural life. For this reason, we consider that the historic sites (i) cannot be built on or near and (ii) that the sites and the viewshafts to the sites should be protected. In terms of the viewshaft map, the dark green areas are landforms that can be seen from close proximity to the Pikitu Marae from a height of 1.85 metres. The lighter green areas can be seen in the distance from the Marae.
Scale 1:75 000
Legend
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SLOPE Although there are no volcanoes in the immediate vicinity of the Marae (the closest is Maungtautari, some 46 kilometres to the north-west of the Marae) the land is covered with ignimbrite and pumice deposits from the Taupo Volcanic eruptions which is the reason for the rolling landscape. The Pikitu Marae is located on land which has slopes that range between 3% and 5%, but by far the majority of the area under analysis is comprised of rolling hills with slopes between 8% and 15%. There are relatively few strongly rolling slopes that range from 16% to 20%. On the edge of the Waikato River, which is about 4 kilometres from the Marae, the river banks’ slope generally range from 16% to 21%, although the river banks have 72% slopes (ie precipitous and dangerous) in some places. We consider that the papakainga could be built on land with slopes of 8% or less to mimimise large level changes between the dwellings and the surrounding gardens. Although 5% or less would require less steps and gardens which do not require retaining.
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Scale 1:75 000
Aspect The area of interest exhibits a predominant system of ridges running north-west to south-east with varying elevations and relatively flat ridgelines and this is consistent with the typical rolling landscape of the Waikato. The Pikitu Marae is located on a ridgeline facing east. At 250 metres above sea level, the Marae is situated on one of the highest ridgelines in the area and so also has an unimpeded northerly aspect. Ngati Huri require that the papakainga development dwellings must face east to the rising morning sun, while the living areas of the dwellings should face north or north-west to make the most of the advantages of all day sun. The map shows that there are a significant number of potential sites in the area of interest that have the required aspect.
Legend
Scale 1:75 000
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Develpoment & Zoning Proposals 18
Land Suited for Development Based on our analysis, we have found several potential sites for the location of the Papakainga development. The criteria we used to include potential sites are (i) sites with slopes that are 8% or less on an area of no less than two hectares; (ii) sites that have an aspect of east through to the north-west; (iii) sites that have no ecological significance; (iv) sites where the land does not have a land capability category of between 1 and 4 inclusive; (v) sites that have streams within a ten metre radius. Not withstanding the availability of alternative sites found by our analysis, Ngati Huri have expressed a desire for the papakainga to be built adjacent to the existing Marae. This land does meet with our analysis criteria as a suitable site for the development.
Economic Opportunities Economic opportunities (jobs or investment) are likely to be a strong driver for Ngati Huri people to return to live at the papakainga development. Smaller business opportunities may be possible, such as horticulture business, which has already been suggested. However, this may not provide sufficient jobs or investment returns in the short term unless Ngati Huri can grow the business into a market leader, which takes specialised knowledge and time. Alternatives would be to consider the industrial sectors that are considered important in driving growth in the Waikato region which are dairy farming and dairy product manufacturing; livestock farming and meat processing; forestry, logging and related product manufacturing; materials, machinery and equipment (including transport equipment); education; and tourism related services (supermarket and specialised retailing, accomodation and food services). (The Waikato Regional Economic Development Strategy, October 2013). Obviously expert advice on this matter would need to be obtained before investment decisions can be made.
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Scale 1:125 000
Development Zoning Although Ngati Huri have current plans to build about five one or two bedroomed units for their Kamatua, in the long term it is expected that about 25 dwellings, including several larger three (or four bedroom) homesteads will be built. Working on an average building footprint of 150 square metres per dwelling, an area of one hectare would be sufficient for 25 dwellings (one storey) with small private gardens and shared outdoor space for each dwelling with protection vegetative from prevailing winds and shade from the summer sun. An additional one hectare would provide space for communal outdoor space, playspace, vegetable gardens and communal buildings, for say, a medical centre, gymnasium, safe pedestrian networks, carparking spaces and so on. We envisage significant indigenous planting around the site. Accordingly, our analysis of land suitable for building requires a plot of two hectares of land with a slope of less than 8% with an east to north-west aspect. However, the rural papakainga for Ngati Huri will require culturally and community appropriate design solutions, rather than simply assuming that the papakainga can be built on any area of “suitable� land.
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Scale 1:125 000
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References Annual Rainfall for Waikato Region. April 2014 to March 2015. Retrieved from http://metservice.com/rural/waikato. Environment Waikato. Waikato Regional Landscape Assessment (Technical Report 2010/12). 2010. Retrieved from http://www.waikatoregion.govt. nz/PageFiles/14822/TR201012.PDF Guardians Establishment Committee. (2008). The Health of the Waikato River and Catchment. Retrieved from www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/PageFiles/419/gecreport.pdf Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd. (2008). Land Resource Information Spatial System Spatial Data Layers – Data Dictionary. Wellington, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://moodle.unitec.ac.nz/course/view.php?id=813. Meurk, Colin D., & Swaffield, Simon R. (2009). A Landscape Ecological Framework for indigenous regeneration in rural Aotearoa-New Zealand: Landscape and Urban Planning, 50, 129-144. Statistics New Zealand. (2012). 2012 Agricultural Census Tables. Retrieved from http://www.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/industry_sectors/agriculture-horticulture-forestry/2012-agricultural-census-tables.aspx# Waikato Regional Council and Dairy NZ. (n.d.). Getting Riparian Planting Right in the Waikato. Retrieved from http://dairynz.co.nz/media/660477/riparian_management_waikato_web.pdf Waikato Regional Council and Dairy NZ. (n.d.). Getting Riparian Planting Right in the Waikato. Retrieved from http://dairynz.co.nz/media/660477/riparian_management_waikato_web.pdf. Waikato Regional Economic Development Strategy. 2013. Economic Development Issues and Opportunities. Retrieved from http://waikatoregion. govt.nz. Wikipedia. Geology of the Waikato-King Country Region. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_the_Waikato-King_Country_Region. Wikipedia. Lake Arapuni. Retreived from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Arapuni. Google Earth All Maps Produced By Brooke Foley, Liam Winterton, Erica Churr, Nicola Gainsford All Photographs Liam Winterton, Nicola Gainsford
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