Children singing waiata while planting native trees in the remote area of Ruatangata, Matawaia highlighted the voices of many generations connected to the whenua. Ngati Hine Forestry Trust held a Ra Whakato Rakau (tree planting day) late last month as part of the kaupapa – He Ringa Ahuwhenua, He Hanga Mahi.  Puna Matauranga Kaitautoko for the kaupapa, Hineamaru Ropati said, “With the support of Te Waka Kai Ora, we are applying the six principles of Hua Parakore for this kaupapa: Whakapapa, wairua, mana, maramatanga, te ao turoa and mauri. Hua Parakore is Te Waka Kai Ora korowai for an indigenous framework of excellence for Mahinga Kai. For this kaupapa we look to adapt this approach to a ngahere context with Mahinga Ngahere and Rakau Atua.”

The kaupapa will develop a transition strategy of restoring the land to native forest, currently in pine. It looks to regenerate rakau Maori through rangahau and research, wananga and native forestry trial sites. The planting day followed on from wananga and hui held at Matawaia and Motatau marae earlier in the year and in 2022. Over a hundred people gathered to plant hundreds of native trees as part of the native forestry trial sites. The day included korero tuku iho and a demonstration from Peter Prime, Kaupapa Project Manager, that focussed on different tuakana and teina tree species and how to space and plant for optimum growth.

Attendees included children from local kohanga reo, kura and connected whanau. The kaupapa team were pleased to be supported on the day by Te Papa Pa Orooro, from Nga Tangariki o Ngati Hine. Te Papa Pa Orooro having recently won the Northland Regional Council top ‘Environmental action in water quality improvement’ award for their work in wetland and riparian restoration.

While the focus of the day was planting native trees, ten symbolic fruit trees were also planted. This was to acknowledge the purakau and korero tuku iho shared in past wananga. The area was known by many local whanau for its fruit orchards with generations stopping in when traveling past. Many attendees asked to be included in future planting days. They saw the day as reconnecting the people to their whakapapa and whenua. He Whenua Hua, He Tangata Ora is a key outcome the kaupapa seeks to achieve where the land and people prosper. With local kohanga reo and kura attending it was warming for the kaupapa project team to know that as the tamariki grow, they will see the ngahere they planted grow with them.

He Ringa Ahuwhenua, He Hanga mahi kaupapa started in October 2021. It is a Ngati Hine matauranga led kaupapa that is supported by Scion (A Crown Research Forestry Institute). A learning trial site at Pukenehunehu in Matawaia was established in 2022 and the Ruatangata site is part of four further trial sites identified for planting in 2023 and 2024.

He Ringa Ahuwhenua, He Hanga Mahi came from a consistent narrative from shareholders being a shift from dominant pine trees to a mosaic quilt – te kuira approach with native trees dominating. The One Billion Trees (1BT); Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service policy provided an opportunity to conduct this project and acknowledged matauranga Maori and kaupapa Maori approaches as a priority to planting.

Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust welcomed Minister for Māori Economic Development, Willie Jackson to whakawhiti kōrero about expansion plans for its world-first indigenous forestry strategy: He Ringa Ahuwhenua, He Hanga Mahi – to transition exotic pine to native forestry. The project is funded through the Ministry of Primary Industries, Te Uru Rakau – New Zealand Forest Service and supported by Scion, a Crown research institute specialising in forestry. The project is significant as it not only considers a kaupapa Māori approach, it is unique to Ngāti Hine mātauranga through a rangahau philosophy that incorporates Te tū o Ngāti Hine, kaitiakitanga, mahi tahi and He Whenua Hua, He Tangata Ora.

Restoring the land to native forest, currently in pine is the intergenerational vision of the Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust. The Trust held a wānanga in March as part of a four-year kaupapa – He Ringa Ahuwhenua, He Hanga Mahi as it works with the people to shape and progress the strategy.

"The kaupapa looks to regenerate rakau Māori through rangahau and research, wānanga and native forestry trial sites. "

It aims to answer a key research question – He aha ta Te Tū o Ngāti Hine hei arahi i te whakaora i ngā ngaherehere o Hineāmaru?

The wānanga held at Matawaia marae followed on from a Rangahau Planning Hui held at Motatau marae in 2022 and virtual wānanga held online in 2021. Around 60 people gathered to hear about the project and contribute to the design aspirations of native forestry trial sites. The goal was to develop and plan for mātauranga led and science supported approach to the native forest trial sites with connected whānau (shareholders) and interested entities.

The day included a presentation from Toby Stovold and Elizabeth Dunningham from Scion and how the Crown forestry research institute has supported the project to date, particularly with seed propagation, being cared for and sown. Hineāmaru Ropati presented an inspirational indigenous hallmark of excellence framework known as Hua Parakore that includes the application of whakapapa, wairua, mana, maramatanga, te ao turoa and mauri. Jack Vallings then provided a seed exhibit of various native trees with opportunities for attendees to taste, learn and understand more about native trees seeds.

Wānanga discussions included whānau sharing history around some of the intended trial sites to inform what native trees were best suited for those areas. The sharing of history from whānau is a critical part of the collective approach to understanding Ngāti Hine mātauranga and kaupapa Māori approaches within the project. The wānanga provided a space to not only discuss rejuvenating the forest, it was an opportunity to revitalise the stories of the ngahere, whenua and whakapapa.

Attendees urged the project team to consider the wider environment. While native trees, ngāhere Māori, seed collection and trial site development featured in the wānanga, te mauri o te wai, Ngāti Hine repo, wetlands, riparian and pest control were also underscored. Discussions included the multitude of rivers that connect to the Bay of Islands and Kaipara harbours. Those harbours being fed from Ngāti Hine awa and the impact the forests have on the rivers.

It was highlighted that Ngāti Hine has one of the biggest wetlands in the country being the home of the tuna, matuku and pukeko. Attendees urged the project team to consider how the wetlands and repo have progressively dried up and how that ties into the strategy.

He Ringa Ahuwhenua, He Hanga mahi kaupapa started in October 2021 and has since seen a change in kaupapa project managers with Peter Prime as the new Kaupapa Project Manager, supported by Amadonna Jakeman as Mātauranga Integration Rangahau Lead. A new Puna Mātauranga group with Hineāmaru Ropati and Moe Milne was recently established to ensure the project is Ngāti Hine mātauranga led that is supported by Scion science. A learning trial site at Pukenehunehu in Matawaia was established in 2022 with five other trial sites identified for planting in 2023 and 2024 (dependent on planting supply and other variables).

He Ringa Ahuwhenua, He Hanga Mahi came from a consistent narrative from shareholders being a shift from dominant pine trees to a mosaic quilt – te kuira approach with native trees dominating. The One Billion Trees (1BT); Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service policy provided an opportunity to conduct this project as it acknowledges mātauranga Māori and kaupapa Māori approaches as a priority to planting.

Over the next few years Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust (NHFT) is leading key projects focused on new approaches to Māori led indigenous land and forestry systems supported closely by Scion (a Crown research institute specialising in forestry). On Monday 16 May the first rangahau planning hui was held as part of a four-year project – He Ringa Ahuwhenua, He Hanga Mahi Indigenous Forestry Strategy Development 2021-2025.  

The project is funded through the Ministry of Primary Industries, Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service and aims to develop a transition strategy that shifts from exotic pine to a native forestry system through rangahau and research, wānanga and native forestry trial sites.

Ramona Radford, Portfolio Lead for Distinct Value Indigenous Forest-to-Wood Products at Scion said the science team is delighted to support this Ngāti Hine-led kaupapa which positions local knowledge and aspirations at the heart of a complex forest systems’ transition. “This is a big deal – never have four generations gathered to design a multi-use ngahere with mātauranga Māori in te reo Māori on a marae. 

We think it’s the way of the future,” she explains. The Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust shareholders and key stakeholders were invited to the rangahau planning hui held at Motatau marae in May following a virtual wānanga that was held late last year online due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The planning hui saw around one hundred people gather to hear about the project aspirations and to contribute to the strategy and design aspirations of the trial sites.

"This is a big deal – never have four generations gathered to design a multi-use ngahere with mātauranga Māori in te reo Māori on a marae. We think it’s the way of the future."

Ramona Radford, Portfolio Lead for Distinct Value Indigenous Forest-to-Wood Products at Scion

The rangahau planning hui provided a space for Ngāti Hine mātauranga relating to the whenua and ngahere to emerge. Scion representatives along with Tane’s Tree Trust provided examples of what a trial site could look like based on their knowledge systems and science. A formal co-design of the trial will continue once rakau, otaota, tree, plant species and numbers are finalised and confirmed, with this being dependent on nurseries and plant availability within the timeframes for planting and selection of trial sites on the NHFT’s estate. Wider input from science and mātauranga Māori will be factored into the design alongside nature’s realities. The project is significant as it not only considers a kaupapa Māori approach, it is unique to Ngāti Hine mātauranga through a rangahau philosophy that incorporates Te tū o Ngāti Hine, kaitiakitanga, mahi tahi and He Whenua Hua, He Tangata Ora.

Ernest Morton, Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust trustee said the project, “brings synergy to Te Ao Māori and Te Ao Pākeha through the Te Kuira (mosaic) approach with a common kaupapa to combat climate change and connect to whenua by protection through Mātauranga Māori”. Morton goes on to say, “The new is in the old concealed, and the old is in the new revealed. The healing through community involvement was more than evident at a recent wānanga at Mōtatau Marae and clearly changed the props and set the stage for new beginnings by co-designing the future”.

"…brings synergy to Te Ao Māori and Te Ao Pākeha through the Te Kuira (mosaic) approach with a common kaupapa to combat climate change and connect to whenua by protection through Mātauranga Māori."

Ernest Morton, NHFT Trustee

He Ringa Ahuwhenua, He Hanga Mahi – Indigenous Forestry Strategy Development Project 2021- 2025 came from a consistent narrative from NHFT shareholders – that more native trees be planted with a Māori approach. A shift from dominant pine trees to a mosaic quilt – Te Kuira approach with native trees dominating. The One Billion Trees (1BT); Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service policy provided an opportunity to conduct this project as it acknowledges mātauranga Māori and kaupapa Māori approaches as a priority to planting. This affirms tangata whenua as rangatira sovereign leaders and kaitiaki.

“This is a great example of the Government working in partnership with a Maori Forestry Trust to co-design and establish native forests at scale utilising mātauranga Māori and kaupapa Māori values and methodologies/approaches,” says Alex Wilson, Director Forest Development, Grants and Partnerships at Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service. “We are very proud to be a funding partner as these projects continue to deliver and ultimately will contribute to developing long-term carbon sinks which are critical to supporting New Zealand meeting its international climate change commitments,” said Wilson.

"This is a great example of the Government working in partnership with a Maori Forestry Trust to co-design and establish native forests at scale utilising mātauranga Māori and kaupapa Māori values and methodologies/approaches"

Alex Wilson, Director Forest Development, Grants and Partnerships at Te Uru Rakau – New Zealand Forest Service.

He Ringa Ahuwhenua, He Hanga Mahi – Indigenous Forestry Strategy Development 

Project 2021-2025

About the kaupapa

Over the next few years Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust (NHFT) is involved in several projects. One project is He Ringa Ahuwhenua, He Hanga Mahi – Indigenous Forestry Strategy Development Project 2021- 2025. This rangahau/research project was discussed at the last Annual General Meeting and shared in our last Te Tātarakihi newsletter and Annual Report. Discussions around moving from pine to native trees has been a consistent narrative and request from beneficiaries for many years. In November 2021 we held a virtual wānanga to discuss this project and a recording of that wānanga can be found at our He Ringa Ahuwhenua, He Hanga Mahi Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/heringaahuwhenua

Project Background

A four-year funding timeframe has been secured via the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to support this project. This project will deliver a pathway for transitioning from an exotic pine forest into an indigenous forest system. He Ringa Ahuwhenua, He Hanga Mahi –Indigenous Forestry Strategy Development 2021- 2025 project comes under the umbrella of MPI’s Te Uru Rakau. The project aims to be a kaupapa Māori led approach, guided by Ngāti Hine mātauranga, through a rangahau philosophy of Te Tū o Ngāti Hine. This will look to build on Ngāti Hine capability and capacity that interacts with western science knowledge, by engaging with SCION (A Crown owned Forest Research Institute). The rangahau and research will provide evidence to inform a long-term strategy and implementation of realising an indigenous forestry future. In 2021 Kaupapa Project Manager – Heidi Mackey and Mātauranga Integration Rangahau Lead – Amadonna Jakeman came on board. This year Ngā Tirairaka o Ngāti Hine, the environmental arm of Ngāti Hine have been engaged to support alongside providing pest control for NHFT. The pest control project is known as Kia hoki mai te ketekete a ngā manu ki nga Ngahere o Ngāti Hine. An initial hui with Ngā Tirairaka and SCION was held in January at our NHFT Moerewa office to advance the project. NHFT’s focus for this project is on delivering key outcomes; Te Tū o Ngāti Hine, Kaitiakitanga, Mahitahi and He Whenua Hua – He Tangata Ora.

Next steps – 2022

This project has three core components: A series of hui and wānanga, native ngāhere/forestry trials and the development of an indigenous forestry transition strategy. Some key kaupapa and events happening in 2022 include seed collection, whenua site visits for selection of trial sites and planting planning.

Wānanga and Hui

We will hold wānanga and hui over the next four years to keep our beneficiaries(shareholders, landowners) informed and to hear feedback along the way to inform the project. We have engaged with Ngāti Hine FM to record key parts of upcoming wānanga and hui that will be uploaded to our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/heringaahuwhenua and any updates for the project.

Whakapā mai

Phone: (09) 459 6425

Email: ahuwhenua@ngatihine.maori.nz