POU TAIAO

we are kaitiaki of our moana and awa

For generations, Ngāti Tūwharetoa have held and maintained mana whenua within the Taupō catchment. This intrinsic reciprocal relationship alongside our ownership, as described (in part) by the 2007 Deed and the Waikato Awa River Legislation, weave the whāriki by which the Tūwharetoa

Māori Trust Board are stewards over Tāupo waters and Awa.

NGĀ KAIHAUTŪ O TE AWA O WAIKATO

Ngā Kaihautū o Te Awa o Waikato was established to develop long term restoration plans and monitoring work for the Waikato Awa.

Committee members are appointed by Te Hikuwai o Tūwharetoa marae.

We provide Ngā Kaihautū with advisory and administrative support to help the committee achieve their objectives.

Ngā Kaihautū o te Awa o Waikato members:

Name

Marae / organisation Ruby Pitiroi Chairperson Te Rangiita Emerina Adams Maroa-nui-a-Tia Ngahere Wall Pākira Mark Ross Waipahīhī Mere Maniapoto Mōkai Matiu Heperi Northcroft Tūtetawhā Kristy Northcroft alternate – Tūtetawhā Madeleine Tuhakaraina Nukuhau Danny Loughlin Trust Board member Judy Harris Trust Board member

Ngā Kaihautū has focussed on developing its 10 year Strategic Plan for the 2021-2031 period.

Digital production work on the committee’s animination project – Waikato the Wanderer – was finalised during the year. The video was launched at a special screening held at Starlight Taupō Cinema in July 2021.

Waikato the Wanderer is a 16-minute animated video which tells a Ngāti Tūwharetoa story about the creation of the Waikato Awa. The video was well received by stakeholders and kura and will serve as an educational resource for the future. Waikato the Wanderer is available to view on our YouTube channel.

Co-jointly hosted community planting days have continued to be a popular means of engagement with whānau, tamariki and the wider community. Ngā Kaihutū collaborates with Greening Taupō to make these planting events happen.

The committee has developed a poster specifically for the Waikato Awa to encourage better waste management practice and behaviour along the riverbank. The signs are progressively being installed.

Following a waste spill into the Waipuwerawera stream by Contact Energy in February 2019 we have continued to monitor restorative action and work with Contact Energy. A further planting day was held in August 2021 to help restore the natural environment.

Waikato Regional Council Joint Management Agreement We actively engage with the Waikato Regional Council both under the terms of our Joint Management Agreement and with Council delivery staff responsible for water quality, testing and spillages.

Our bi-annual meetings of the cogovernance committee and co-management committee enable us to advocate strongly in the best interests of Ngāti Tūwharetoa.

Proposed Joint Management Agreement with Taupō District Council Engagement with the Taupō District Council on the development of a Joint Management Agreement has been slow.

The level of desired progress has been impacted by Council’s capability and capacity to deliver within the timeframes.

We are hopeful that better progress will be achieved to develop a robust agreement during the new financial year.

Notifications During the reporting period we received 310 notifications for review – this is an increase up from 280 notifications received for the 2019-20 period.

We have continued to review council proposals and provide input into council consents, policy and regulations with a key focus on Taupō Waters.

Over this reporting period submissions and representations were made in addition to beach clean-ups and vegetation restoration around our lake and tributaries, including: • Te Rangiita Rubbish/Debris

Foreshore/Lakebed Clean up and

Planting • Tongariro River Erosion and Flood

Works • Tauranga Taupō River Annual Works • Hangarito Maintenance Works • Waitahanui Erosion River Management • Kuratau Erosion Management and

Maintenance Works • Tūrangi Water Supply Water • Tūrangi Wastewater Treatment Plant

Consents • Motutere Wastewater Treatment Plant

Consents • TDC & WRC Long Term Plan

Submissions • Water Services Bill Submission • Draft Management Plan for Taupo

Waters by the Taupo-nui-a-Tia

Management Board Submission • Taupo Hot Springs Submission • Whareroa WTP Upgrade • Contact Energy - GeoFuture -

Wairakei Consents • Spa Hotel Complex Development

Consents • Wairakei Zipline • Exposure Draft of the Natural & Built

Environment Bill Submission

Weed Management Weed management continues to be an ongoing issue which we continue to work alongside hapū on.

In 2018, a monitoring plan was created and implemented with Ngāti Turumakina.

Freshwater kōura is used as an indicator species as well as water monitoring methods for Huri Taniwha.

Lake weed tends to be exposed when the lake is at a lower than normal level during dry

periods when there is low rainfall and snow melt.

Weed management work was scheduled in 2020, however, this had to be cancelled due to COVID-19.

Marae Fishing Licences and Boat Ramps Interest in fishing licences and boat ramp permits among marae remains strong. These are provided to encourage Tūwharetoa uri to use and enjoy our moana and awa and to provide kai for our marae.

During the reporting period 250 fishing licences and 59 boat ramp permits were issued.

NGĀTI TŪWHARETOA GENESIS ENERGY COMMITTEE

The Ngāti Tūwharetoa Genesis Energy Committee was established following agreement between the Trust Board (on behalf of ngā hapū o Ngāti Tūwharetoa) and Genesis Energy in 2000.

The agreement aims to mitigate the impacts of the ongoing operation of the Tongariro Power Scheme on Ngāti Tūwharetoa.

It has been a productive year for the committee with more than $320K of funding provided for a variety of projects.

A key environmental project led by Papakai Marae which the committee previously supported was the completion of the first stage of the restoration of the Taitaia Urupa.

During the year, further progress has been made in the second stage which involved further fencing, further clearance of gorse, broom, and blackberry on the western side of the urupa and the gateway into the urupa was repaired.

The committee was also pleased to see the completion of a marae sustainability project at Otukou marae. The next phase was started during the year and included scoping possible alternative energy options for the marae. This work is being carried out in association with Tūrangi based energy consultants, Haurere Energy Solutions.

Summary of Grants: Grant area Amount

Environmental $5,000.00 Marae Sustainability Infrastructure $38,080.00 Sports $20,864.78 Wānanga $38,800.00 Education $27,556.03 Rangatahi $95,968.60 Cultural and other projects $94,248.00 Total $320,517.41

NGĀTI TŪWHARETOA MERCURY DEVELOPMENT GROUP

The Ngāti Tūwharetoa Mercury Development Group was established as a result of an agreement signed in October 2002 between Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Mighty River Power (now Mercury).

This agreement is a result of the consultation process required for the resource consents to operate the Waikato Hydro Scheme. Funding of $218,000 was approved during the financial year.

One of the key projects that the committee supported during the year was the Waihāhā Papakainga Enhancement Project. Stage 1 of the project has been completed. Stage 2 encompasses planting native trees, the installation of composting toilets and kits, composting bin, a water tank and solar pump.

The committee was also pleased to support the Ka Hao te Rangatahi initiative that saw 13 Tūwharetoa rangatahi being selected to participate in a seafood and marine industry insights programme led by the Ngāti

Tūwharetoa Fisheries Charitable Trust.

Summary of Grants:

Grant area Amount

Environmental $32,751.15 Sports $22,252.43 Wānanga $10,700.00 Leadership $6,000.00 Rangatahi $44,000.00 Cultural and other projects $102,328.00 Total $218,031.58

TAUPŌ WATERS - WATER MONITORING

We have continued to make steady progress implementing water monitoring functions following the transfer of this function from the Waikato Regional Council in July 2020 under Section 33 of the Resource Management Act.

The work involves weekly collection of water samples from popular bathing sites around the lake during summer, to testing the water quality at 12 regional rivers which are tributaries to the lake.