Te Taumutu Rūnanga.

Improving mahinga kai and restoring the mauri of local waterways are central to Te Taumutu Rūnanga’s long-term aspirations – guided by kaitiakitanga and the principle of ki uta ki tai, from the mountains to the sea.

Located at the bottom of the catchment beside Te Waihora, Te Pāo Moki is the spiritual home of Ngāi Te Ruahikihiki (Te Taumutu Rūnanga Ltd), where whānau lead by example through restoration that reconnects people, land and water.

Interconnected projects for change.

Since 2013, Taumutu has delivered a series of interconnected projects to restore the cultural and ecological health of Te Waikēkēwai and its tributary Papatahora. These projects include wetland creation, riparian planting, willow control, installation of a new bore to supply potable water to Te Pā o Moki Marae, upgrades to the marae wastewater system, and other works to reclaim the cultural repo, wetlands landscape.

Irrigation enabling restoration.

In 2020 with support from the Environmental Management Fund, the rūnanga upgraded its irrigation system to better support restoration planting. The new automated system replaced a single manual line that had stretched staff resources and limited efficiency. It now spans eight irrigation zones and 48 sprinklers, supported by a 30,000 litre tank and mainline pipework, ensuring reliable water delivery without compromising marae water pressure. This shift has saved Te Pā o Moki staff valuable time, improved plant survival, and reduced strain on infrastructure.

Breathing new life into waterways.

The rūnanga is grateful for this support, which together with other funding partners and careful stewardship of resources enabled further irrigation expansion in 2025 to meet the demands of Te Repo o Papatahora – a new wetland, riparian, and terrestrial planting site. This included nine irrigation lines, sprinkler heads and supporting infrastructure.

The impact of this collective action is breathing new life into a cherished ecosystem, ensuring clean water and resilient habitats flow back into Te Waihora. It’s important to Ruahikihiki whānau that the tributaries delivering water to Te Waihora are plentiful, clean, well-oxygenated and thriving with ecosystem health purpose.