Helping hand for whenua Māori infrastructure

Te Ringa Hāpai Whenua was a contestable fund administered by Te Puni Kōkiri, aimed at supporting whenua Māori owners to realise aspirations for their land.

Te Tumu Paeroa secured more than $630,000 from the fund this financial year to support 23 Māori Trustee-administered blocks with infrastructure works and to meet environmental compliance standards. This included fencing to exclude stock from waterways, addressing sediment, erosion and nutrient issues on the most at-risk blocks, and investing in new infrastructure such as stockyards and water storage and reticulation.

Pou Tāhū Mātanga Taiwhenua | Rural Specialist Brooke Sinclair says that as well as being an opportunity to make infrastructure upgrades, it was a chance to look at the whenua as a whole, how it’s operating now, and enhancing it for future needs.

“Our team takes a really practical approach, that includes a te ao Māori perspective, in that everything is interconnected, including the people – we listen to the owners, the lessees and approach every project with future generations in mind.”

This included creating independent water sources with solar-powered pumps, water storage systems, solar-powered electric fencing and the planting of thousands of native shrubs and trees to enhance the health of the waterways.

“It’s worked really well being able to do the fencing, but at the same time enhance the biodiversity and sustainability,” says Brooke.

Waikato blocks Whangape 72A2 and 72B1 had more than 2,250 metres of stock exclusion fencing installed around waterways, two solar-powered pumped water systems put in, along with two large water storage tanks and eight new stock water troughs.

After kaimahi spotted a natural spring on the 72B1 block, they also created a new dam as an alternative water source now that waterways had been fenced.

Further south, Te Kawa A1C had nearly 1,000m of new electric fencing installed around waterways and, after a natural spring was identified as an alternative stock water source, two adjacent hillsides were retired and planted with more than 4,000 native trees and shrubs.

Two blocks near Marton, Reu Reu 1 Sec 33 B2 and Reu Reu 3B 2B also had a boost – a solar-powered water
pump system with a 30,000-litre water tank now provides a reliable, year-round stock water source, bringing the potential for higher rentals and returns for owners.

Other work carried out included releasing riparian plantings, removal of invasive species and installation of non-invasive willows for erosion control.

New stockyards increase rental return

A joint investment from two Wairarapa block trusts and a Te Puni Kōkiri fund has boosted rental returns for the land.

New, high-quality steel cattle and sheep handling yards have been built at Pahaoa 2B, replacing the dilapidated wooden structures, putting stock out of the way of a flood-prone area of the land and closer to road access.

“The investment will make the block attractive to local farmers for decades to come, ensuring there are ongoing returns for the owners of the two blocks,” says Pou Tuarongo Kaitohutohu Taiwhenua | Rural Advisor James Beck.

Te Tumu Paeroa kaimahi were successful in obtaining $125,000 in funding from Te Ringa Hāpai Whenua Fund for this work and, after owners agreed to reserve distributions in 2016 for capital development, the trusts could also contribute.

The improvements have resulted in a higher annual rental return, which will now benefit owners, and also creates a more attractive frontage, says James.

Te Ringa Hāpai funded improvements by the numbers 

• 23 whenua Māori blocks protected & enhanced
• 25,781m new fencing installed
• 12,541 new native plants in the ground
• 5 solar-powered water reticulation systems installed
• 105,000L water tank storage
• 14 new stock troughs
• 1 new spring-fed dam

Pictured above: Reu Reu 1 Sec 33B2 now has a solar-powered water reticulation system.