A humble, community-focused group that likes to quietly get on with the mahi rather than make a fuss — one of their favourite sayings translates as ‘don’t be a show-off’ — shocked themselves by winning
Northland’s top environmental award. Peter de Graaf talks to the ex-army sergeant-major behind the restoration of Kaikohe’s once ailing waterways.

It started as a work scheme to give Kaikohe youth basic skills and keep them out of trouble.

Almost by accident, it has grown into an award-winning environmental project which is restoring, stream by stream, kilometre by kilometre, the health of Mid North waterways.

The Kaikohe-based Te Kotahitanga e Mahi Kaha Trust, led by chief executive Erena Kara, was named the supreme winner in the recent Northland Regional Council Environmental Awards.

Judges said its Ngā Wai Ora o Ngāpuhi initiative stood out for its “community-focused approach to restoring waterways, incorporation of mātauranga Māori and providing opportunities for local youth”.

Operations manager Hone Dalton said the trust’s main goal was to give young people, especially those not in education or training, the skills needed to enter the workforce.

As they learned, they were put to work in primary industries – for example, in the trust’s own vineyard, or planting trees along farm waterways.

At first the trust carried out planting on contract for Landcorp, now known as Pāmu, using seedlings bought in Auckland and following Auckland Council riparian planting guidelines.

As time went by, the trust established its own nursery on Guy Rd, on the outskirts of Kaikohe, and started applying “a more Māori slant”, Dalton said.

That meant, for example, eco-sourcing seeds from a 30-kilometre radius and seeking mātauranga Māori (traditional knowledge) as they came into contact with kuia and kaumātua living along the waterways.

“They’d say to us, ‘Why don’t you plant trees in hapū groups? And if you plant this tree with that tree, they’ll take better’.”

The trust focused on 10 mostly pioneer species — such as mānuka, tī kōuka (cabbage tree), karamu and kōrari (flax in the Ngāpuhi dialect) — as well as varieties of flax used to produce fine muka fibres, kohekohe for its special connection to Kaikohe, kahikatea and tōtara.

The breakthrough came when the trust was awarded a contract via the Provincial Growth Fund to plant 24km of waterways.

“Initially it was just another way of helping the kids build capacity and capability,” Dalton said.

Led by ex-forestry contractor King Dalton, the (mostly) young men were tasked with clearing and planting stream banks as well as raising seedlings in the nursery, while contractor Jamie Rogers built fences to protect the waterways and new plantings from stock. Digger operator Phil Young — “the man’s an artist” — took care of earthworks.

So far the trust had planted Wairoro Stream, which provided most of Kaikohe’s drinking water, Tahone Stream, which flowed through Northland College’s farm, and the tributaries of Kopenui Stream, which drained Ngāwhā Innovation Park.

Their “crowning achievement”, however, was Otangaroa-Takapau Stream, which had been fenced and planted from its source at Squires Lane/Waikotihe, near Monument Hill/Tokoreireia, to Rakauwahia Rd, 18km downstream.

“There are 30 landowners along that stream, with seven whānau trusts and multiply-owned Māori land, and we had to talk to every one of them. Almost everybody was really pleased to let us in — and those that weren’t, once they looked over the fence and saw what we were doing, they changed their minds.”

Dalton had seen the streams change since the project started two years ago.

“Water quality has improved, clarity has improved, flow has improved. And the smell. There used to be a really musty smell in summer — it wasn’t a natural thing — but we don’t have that anymore.”

Most of the at-risk youth taken on by the trust didn’t stay long. The aim was to put them through a basic skills and knowledge course, then get them back to school, polytech or full-time work.

However, as planting ramped up, it became clear the trust needed a permanent workforce.

Currently it has about 10 full-time staff aged 16-20 employed in planting and seed propagation. The nursery had produced 300,000 trees from locally sourced seeds in the past two years.

Many Northlanders, even those immersed in environmental restoration, had never heard of the trust until it took out the supreme award.

“We usually like to fly on a low flight pattern. One of our sayings is ‘kaua e whakahīhī’ (the literal translation is ‘don’t be a show-off’, but the meaning in this context is more like ‘let actions speak louder than words’). For us it’s about self-satisfaction. It’s about making a difference in your community by doing, not talking.”

Despite that, the trust decided to enter the Northland Regional Council’s annual Whakamānawa ā Taiao Environmental Awards, held last month in Dargaville.

“We thought at worst we’ll have a nice night out and a big kai. Maybe we’d even win something. When we got the first award everyone thought, ‘whoa, we’re cracking it’. Then we got highly commended in the kaitiaki category. Then we got the overall award and there was a fair bit of silence. We had no speech prepared. It just about knocked us over. It was very humbling,” Dalton said.

“The award means a lot. It’s recognition that what we’re doing is making a difference. It’s not perfect. We’ve had issues along the way. But we learn every day when we’re on the waterways.”

While the youth continue their work along Otangaroa-Takapau Stream, Dalton is looking ahead to the project’s next phase and, crucially, how the trust can secure more funding.

“It’s important that we get another contract. There’s so many good things that come out of it for our kids.”

Next on the trust’s planting wishlist is Rangihamama Stream, southwest of Kaikohe, but their dream — their Holy Grail, if you like — would be a chance to help save Northland’s biggest lake.

Lake Ōmāpere was once regarded as the food basket of Ngāpuhi. These days it’s a shadow of its former self, partly drained, blighted by agricultural run-off and poisoned by toxic blooms.

“We’d dearly love to work on Lake Ōmāpere. There’s been lots of people talking about it. A lot of studies. But we could just do it.”

Whatever happens, Dalton and his once troubled young men won’t be kicking back or turning into show-offs.

“It’s turned into an environmental mission. It’s kind of like a religion for us now. It’s what we want to do.”

What the judges said about Ngā Wai Ora o Ngāpuhi:

“Driven by a deep desire to restore the awa of significance to mana whenua in Kaikohe, the trust has overcome many challenges with this project. Through building whakawhanaungatanga (relationships) and following a te ao Māori approach, they have achieved outstanding results.

“The determination and perseverance shown in this project extends beyond restoring the awa. Their vision and kaupapa have guided them to pursue opportunities for the betterment of their rangatahi, culture, economy and te taiao (the environment).

“Through inspiring and sharing their knowledge with others, and using innovative approaches, future generations will gain a deeper understanding of how mātauranga Māori can be used alongside conventional knowledge to help restore te taiao.”

FULL LIST OF 2022 WINNERS

Northland Regional Council Whakamānawa ā Taiao Environmental Awards

Supreme award: Te Kotahitanga e Mahi Kaha Trust’s Project Ngā Wai Ora o Ngāpuhi

Environmental leadership: Hori Parata (Ngātiwai)
Highly commended: Reconnecting Northland; Max Hutchings

Environmental action in the community: Vision Kerikeri and Friends of Wairoa Stream
Highly commended: Wairahi Tracks Charitable Trust; Friends of Rangikapiti

Environmental action in pest management: Kerikeri Peninsula Conservation Charitable Trust
Highly commended: Te Toa Whenua; Bay Bush Action

Environmental action in water quality improvement: Te Kotahitanga e Mahi Kaha Trust’s Project Ngā Wai Ora o Ngāpuhi
Highly commended: Hokianga Harbor Care/Tiaki Ngā Wai o Hokianga; Dargaville Intermediate School

Environmental action in education: Tangiteroria School
Highly commended: Bay of Islands College

Youth environmental leader: Junior fishery officers Curtis Robinson and Jayden Edwards
Highly commended: Cezanne Hamilton; Samuel James Doughty

Kaitiakitanga: Te Toa Whenua (Te Roroa)
Highly commended: Te Kotahitanga e Mahi Kaha Trust’s Project Ngā Wai Ora o Ngāpuhi

Kiwi Coast outstanding group or project: Bay Bush Action

■ Go to awards.nrc.govt.nz for more information about the awards.