Mauri Compass

Te Ao Māori Apr 2025 · Est.

Tangata Whenua

Tairāwhiti Whenua Charitable Trust holds Māori freehold title. Hilton Collier (CEO) leads engagement. Iwi/hapū connection to Waiapu catchment is deep and enduring.

This land is held by Tairāwhiti Whenua Charitable Trust — our people's organisation. Our CEO Hilton Collier leads the work here. Our connection to the Waiapu catchment goes back generations and runs deep.

Tikanga

Wānanga-led cultural assessment pending. Tikanga protocols to be confirmed with local hapū during field engagement. Score to be refined post-wānanga.

We are planning a community gathering (wānanga) to talk about the proper ways (tikanga) for caring for this wetland. Once we have heard from our people, we will update this score to reflect what we learn together.

Wairua

Wetland holds significant spiritual value within the Waiapu catchment. Cultural significance to be formally documented through wānanga engagement.

This wetland is a spiritually important place within our catchment. We will document its deeper meaning through our community wānanga, so that this knowledge is preserved and guides how we restore and protect it.

Mahinga Kai

Tuna (eel), kōura, and wetland birds are traditional food sources. No current formal mahinga kai programme. Restoration plan will establish customary harvest protocols.

This wetland has always provided food for our whānau — eels, freshwater crayfish (kōura), and birds. Right now there is no formal harvesting programme, but our restoration plan will set up proper protocols so we can sustainably harvest these taonga again.

Whanaungatanga

Wānanga with local hapū to document cultural values and tikanga for wetland management

Community workshop with local kura to build monitoring capability and share mātauranga

Formal cultural assessment to be integrated into Mauri Compass baseline report

Kete Total —/20

Te Ao Taiao Apr 2025 · Est.

Habitat Naturalness

14.5 ha wetland complex within 97.5 ha block. Includes 3.2 ha indigenous forest. High-producing exotic grassland surrounds wetland. Waipiro clay loam soils with low phosphate retention.

The wetland covers about 14.5 hectares — roughly 20 rugby fields. It sits inside a larger 69.84 ha block of Māori land. Around it is mainly farmed grassland. The wetland itself still has some native bush (3.2 ha), but it needs protection and restoration.

Biodiversity

Zero formal species records exist for this site (NZFFD). eDNA sampling will generate first-ever biodiversity baseline. Threatened species (Whio, Hochstetter's Frog, Shortjaw Kōkopu) recorded in Waiapu catchment.

No one has ever done a formal count of the plants and animals living here — this assessment will be the first. We know that rare species like Whio (blue duck) and Hochstetter's Frog live in the wider Waiapu catchment, so there is real hope for this wetland with the right care.

Biohazards

Wetland surrounded by pastoral land. Weed incursion risk identified — drone vegetation mapping will quantify extent. No formal biosecurity plan in place for wetland margins.

Weeds are creeping in from the surrounding farmland. We will use a drone to map exactly where they are, and then put a plan in place to control them. Keeping weeds out is one of the most important things we can do to protect the wetland.

Chemical Hazards

65% of block has low phosphate retention soils — nutrient runoff from pastoral land likely reaching wetland. Waiapu catchment delivers ~150M tonnes sediment/year to coast. Fertiliser inputs from surrounding land unquantified.

Farm runoff — including fertilisers and sediment — is likely flowing into the wetland. The Waiapu River carries enormous amounts of sediment to the sea every year. Fencing the wetland and planting native plants along the edges will help filter this pollution.

Kaitiakitanga

Drone biosphere survey to map vegetation communities and quantify weed incursion zones

Riparian assessment along tributary and wetland edge — inform planting priorities

Establish georeferenced repeat monitoring baseline for annual change detection

Kete Total —/20

Te Wai Māori Apr 2025 · Est.

Kai Richness

No formal fish records in NZFFD for Ngawhakatutu area. Diadromous species (tuna, kōaro, banded kōkopu) expected given wetland connectivity to Waiapu mainstem. eDNA results pending.

No one has formally recorded the fish in this wetland before. We expect to find tuna (eels), kōaro, and other native fish because the wetland connects to the Waiapu River. Our DNA water sampling will confirm what is here.

Taonga Abundance

Tuna (longfin and shortfin eel) population structure unknown. Targeted tuna health assessment planned at wetland confluence. Score pending field survey results.

We do not yet know how many tuna (eels) live here or how healthy they are. Our field team will carry out a tuna survey at the wetland to find out. Tuna are a taonga species and a key indicator of wetland health.

Taonga Health

No condition factor data available. Tuna health assessment will measure size-class distribution, condition factor, and habitat quality. Score pending field assessment.

We have no data yet on how healthy the tuna are in this wetland. Our survey will measure their size and condition. Healthy, large tuna are a sign of a thriving wetland — this is what we are working towards.

Catchment Health

Waiapu River at Rotokautuku (LAWA): Turbidity 33 NTU (worst 25%), Total Phosphorus very likely degrading, E. coli 104.5 n/100ml (Band D). Catchment under significant sediment and nutrient pressure.

The Waiapu River near here is failing water quality tests — the water is too murky and has too much bacteria. Restoring this wetland will act as a natural filter, helping to clean the water before it reaches the river.

Whakapai

eDNA sampling at two sites — upstream reference and wetland confluence — to generate first species records

Tuna health assessment: population structure, condition factor, longfin/shortfin ratio

Water quality monitoring against NPS-FM 2020 attribute bands — establish long-term baseline

Kete Total —/20

Assessment Site

Ngawhakatutu
A2B Block

-37.9002° S, 178.3634° E · Ruatoria · East Coast

Property

Total Area 97.5 ha

Wetland Complex 14.5 ha

Wetland % 15%

Indigenous Forest 3.2 ha

Exotic Grassland 68.5 ha

Land Tenure Māori Freehold

Catchment

Catchment Waiapu

Region Tairāwhiti

Sediment Yield ~150M t/yr

Soil Type Waipiro Clay

Leadership

Trust Tairāwhiti Whenua CT

CEO H. Collier

Assessor I. Ruru, MCS Ltd

Overall Mauri

—

/60

BASELINE ESTIMATE

Source: Ngawhakatutu A2B Wetland Baseline Assessment Proposal, Maumahara Consultancy Services Ltd, April 2025. Scores are baseline estimates pending wānanga and eDNA field results.