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Pānui Matariki | 2025
- minsley31
- Jun 23
- 10 min read
As the Matariki star cluster rises in the winter skies of Aotearoa, we are reminded that this is a time of reflection, remembrance, and renewal. Matariki marks the Māori New Year, a special moment to honour those who have passed, celebrate the present with our whānau and hapū, and set intentions for the year ahead.
This season invites us to pause, to give thanks for the harvest of the past year, and to look to the stars for guidance and hope. Whether it's gathering for shared kai, storytelling, waiata, or simply spending time together,
In this pānui, we celebrate the spirit of Matariki by sharing stories, events, and whakaaro that shine a light on our kaupapa.
Mānawatia a Matariki!
🎉🌱 100 Reasons to Celebrate! 🌱🎉
Trapping in Schools hits 100 pest kills!
We’re thrilled to share an epic milestone -our Trapping in Schools programme has officially reached 100 pest kills! ♥️ That’s 100 fewer threats in our ngahere, and 100 more reasons to believe in the power of collective action.
Every predator removed is a win — for our manu, our rākau, and the generations to come.
It means:
🌱 100 fewer predators wreaking havoc on our precious ecosystems
🫘 Thousands of seeds protected from hungry rats and possums
🐣 Hundreds of native chicks now have a real shot at life
🕊️ A safer future for taonga like kererū, kākā, and toutouwai
Behind every trap set, checked, and cleared is a story of dedication — from tamariki learning about the taiao in real time, to kaiako guiding this kaupapa with aroha and purpose.
To our students, teachers, and trapping champions — this is your mahi, your magic, and your legacy. Thank you for being fierce kaitiaki of the ngahere. Here’s to the next 100!
Mauri ora! 🌿
🥾 He Ara ki te Ora – Tracks with Purpose 🌿
Inside our mahi at the IMS this month
Our team have been deep in the ngahere, developing and maintaining tracks within one of our IMS – Intensively Managed Sites. But these aren’t just any bush tracks. They’re the lifelines of our taiao mahi — pathways that allow us to safely and consistently carry out pest control, biodiversity monitoring, and taonga protection.
Every step along these lines is purposeful. As the team clears accessways and strengthens routes, they also set trail cameras to capture a clearer picture of who’s moving through the ngahere — pests and precious natives alike.
lready, the footage tells a powerful story. Our trail cams have picked up images of taonga species like kererū and kiwi
a heartening reminder of why we show up, rain or shine. These manu are not just symbols of our native biodiversity; they’re indicators of ecosystem health, and their presence shows our mahi is making a difference.
So next time you see one of our team with a grubby hi-vis and muddy boots, know they’re walking with purpose — every track laid, every camera set, every trap checked is another step towards a thriving, predator-free ngahere.
🌿 He Mahi Whakahirahira – Honouring Te Whakapae Ururoa 🌿
Standing strong for our ngahere
Kei te hīkaka te ngākau, kei te noho ngākau nui mātou ki te whai wāhi ki te mahi ngātahi me Te Whakapae Ururoa – he rōpū kaha, he rōpū mātau,
he rōpū whakakaha i te kaupapa tiaki taiao.
E mihi kau ana mō tō koutou kaha ki te wānanga, te rangahau, me te kimi māramatanga mō te parekura o Myrtle Rust ki ō tātou rākau rangatira, ki te ora o te ngahere whānui.
He mahi nui, he mahi tapu — mō te ao
We want to give a massive shoutout to the incredible rōpū Te Whakapae Ururoa — champions of the ngahere and fierce protectors of our native rākau.
This powerhouse team has been leading the charge in understanding and responding to the threat of Myrtle Rust — a fast-spreading disease putting immense pressure on some of our most treasured species like pōhutukawa, ramarama, and mānuka.
Their mahi has not been easy. It takes scientific insight, cultural intelligence, and deep commitment to te taiao. From monitoring outbreaks to strengthening biosecurity, from community education and lots and lots of research, Te Whakapae Ururoa have been doing some of the heavy lifting to ensure our forests have a future.
We are honoured to have walked alongside them — learning, collaborating, and witnessing the impact of their mahi first-hand.
To Te Whakapae Ururoa — thank you for your courage, your knowledge, and your aroha for the whenua.
Ko te ururoa e kore e ngaro i te pō!
He Haerenga Whakapakari:
A Journey of Connection Between Ngā Maunga
Our roopū travelled North to visit our hoa mahi at the Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust. It was a haerenga inspired by shared purpose — a commitment to heal, protect, and restore the mauri of our ngahere, and a recognition that although we work in different places, we are united by our whakapapa to te taiao.
Over two days, nine iwi led project groups came together. We walked tracks through Ngāmanawa ngahere, saw their extensive predator control networks, and listened to the stories behind the places — ngā wāhi tapu, ngā puna waiora, ngā rerenga kōrero. Their work, like ours, is grounded in whakapapa and driven by the vision of
intergenerational wellbeing:
healthy ngahere, thriving species, empowered whānau.
We shared our own learnings too - the challenges of working in rugged, remote terrain, the power of whenua-led decision making, and the way our people are reclaiming relationship with the Raukūmara through mahi in the ngahere. There was a deep mutual respect - for the whenua, for each other, and for the long road that restoration requires.
As we left, we carried more than new ideas and strategies. We carried inspiration, relationships, and a sense that we are part of a larger movement - a collective rising of mountain ranges, iwi, hapū and whānau across the motu, all answering the karanga of Papatūānuku. From the Kaimai to the Raukūmara, we remain connected.
He maunga tu tonu – our mountains stand, our work continues.
Representing Raukūmara Pae Maunga at Te Wai Māori Conference 2025, Te Kuiti, Ngati Maniapoto.
A national gathering of iwi, scientists, policy leaders, and taiao advocates dedicated to the future of our wai Māori and freshwater ecosystems.
Held in the heart of Ngāti Maniapoto, the conference brought together diverse voices and kaupapa - but when our team stood to speak, they carried with them the weight and wairua of one of the last great native forests in the North Island: Te Raukūmara.
Our presentation, titled "Raukūmara ki uta, Raukūmara ki tai – " highlighted the deeply interconnected relationship between the health of our ngahere and the vitality of our freshwater systems. When the canopy suffers, so too do the headwaters. When root systems are exposed by deer, goats and pigs, sediment clouds the awa. When native species disappear, the mauri of the whole ecosystem is impacted.
We shared how Ngāti Porou and Te Whānau ā Apanui, as mana whenua of Te Raukūmara, are leading the largest iwi-led restoration project in Aotearoa - a kaupapa that spans predator and ungulate control, ngahere regeneration, and, crucially, the restoration of whakapapa and kaitiakitanga relationships with water.
We spoke to the challenges - the scale of degradation, the technical and cultural complexity of operating across 120,000+ hectares, and the need for long-term investment in iwi-led approaches. But more importantly, we shared our solutions.
Introducing our new kaimahi
We’re super excited to introduce the two newest members of our Raukūmara whānau - Jesse Emery and Lara Pomana.
Both come from taiao backgrounds and even more importantly, they share the same passion we all carry for Te Raukūmara and our taiao.
There’s a well known kōrero within our kaupapa that the Raukūmara chooses people for specific reasons. Everyone who’s been called to this mahi has a role only they can play, and Jesse and Lara are no different. Their journey with us is just the beginning, and we’re so privileged to have them on board.
We can’t wait for whats ahead, the milestones we’ll reach, and to continue the legacy we’re building together for our ngahere and mokopuna.
Nau mai, haere mai Jesse and Lara!
Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi.
Hawke’s Bay Conservation Board in the heart of Te Raukūmara. 🌿
Board members arrived on site at our Ruatoria base, preparing themselves for a day in the ngahere with the team, they brought their own experiences, insights and regional perspectives. Their visit was a demonstration of their commitment to understanding iwi-led projects like ours, and a willingness to listen, learn and support where they can.
As our manuhiri departed, we reminded each other: this is not a one-off visit, but the beginning of an ongoing relationship. One where kōrero will continue, support will grow, and the voice of the Raukūmara — of the ngahere, of the awa, and of the people — will continue to rise.
Ngā mihi nui ki te Poari Whakahau o Te Matau-a-Māui. E rere ana ngā awa o Te Raukūmara ki te moana, e rere ana hoki ngā whakaaro ki te ao whānui. He waka hourua tēnei, me hoe ngātahi tātou.
Breaking Ground — Ungulate Control Milestones in
Te Raukūmara
In one of the most ambitious ungulate control programmes in Aotearoa, the Project is achieving game-changing outcomes for the health of the ngahere, whenua, people. As part of our mission to restore the mauri and mana of Te Raukūmara, our work to manage and reduce deer and goat populations has seen incredible progress — delivering both ecological recovery and local capability building.
Sustained Control Across 74,000 Hectares
Since the programme's launch, sustained ungulate control has been achieved over 74,000 hectares of rugged, remote terrain — a significant feat given the scale, isolation, and biodiversity importance of the Raukūmara ranges. Through coordinated aerial and ground-based operations, we’ve created breathing room for our ngahere to recover — particularly for vulnerable understorey species such as kamahi, kaikōmako, and ferns that have been heavily browsed over generations.
The Raukūmara Remains Mostly Goat-Free
Thanks to focused mahi and long-term pressure, the majority of the Raukūmara remains goat-free. This is a major success story. Goats, which are highly destructive browsers, have been largely excluded from critical parts of the ngahere, giving native plant life and ecosystems a vital chance to regenerate.
Over 12,000 Animals removed to Date
Deer Culled: 10,111
Goats Culled: 2,053
Each one of these represents reduced pressure on the ngahere, and a step toward ecological balance.
Building Skilled Kaimahi, Restoring Whakapapa to the Whenua
At the time of establishment, 13 kamahi (local taiao workers) were employed, with 7 still currently active in the field today. But more than just numbers, this work has seeded real capability and career pathways within our rohe:
Aerial Control Experts: Sparrow Hawk-trained aerial shooters include one Level 3 and one Level 4-M certified shooter under the Safe Aerial Shooting System Competency Structure.
Ground Hunting Excellence: Sparrow Hawk-trained professional ground hunters have brought world-class techniques to the bush floor, combining accuracy, safety, and tikanga.
Detection Dogs Led by Local Kaimahi: 8 wild animal detection dogs, highly trained and approved by the national Wild Animal Detection Dog Programme, now operate as part of our frontline strategy - a uniquely skilled asset that blends traditional bush knowledge with best-practice dog handling.
Tech-Enabled Operations
Sophisticated GIS data collection apps and real-time data dashboards have been built to support on-the-ground decision-making. This digital infrastructure allows us to track progress, identify hotspots, and adapt strategies quickly — ensuring every round fired and every step taken is backed by intel.
A Future Taking Root
Every goat and deer removed is a step toward restoration. Every kaimahi trained is an investment in iwi capability and tino rangatiratanga. And every hectare sustained is a promise kept to the Raukūmara, our tīpuna, and our mokopuna.
This is just the beginning - but it’s a powerful one. The ngahere is responding. The people are rising. The Raukūmara is healing.
Te Ara Tipuna Hīkoi 2025: E Ara E
It is known to our people of Te Whānau ā Apanui and Ngati Porou as the ancient trail of our ancestors that connect us. In a time where we traversed through from one side to the other, this was our State Highway 35. This ancient trail comes alive more than once a year by whānau who feel the need to return back to her (Raukūmara).
Raukūmara Pae Maunga led a six-day hīkoi, guiding two kura — Te Kura o Te Whānau ā Apanui and Te Kura Mana Māori o Whangaparāoa — through the ngahere their tipuna once walked.
Day One began at the edge of the Kereū Awa - Te Umu Hāpuku and held under the cloak of the early morning mist, a karakia opened the way. Boots sunk into the awa the first steps were slow, intentional. Rangatahi stood shoulder to shoulder pacing themselves towards Te Ara Whata where they were met by two towering waterfalls. Helmets and harnesses were strapped in as they climed up the ladders to Te Kaki o Te Moana arriving at Wai o Tapu Toa in the early evening.
Days Two to Four were deep within the heart of the ngahere holding the mauri stone each taking turns. Here, the hīkoi tested wairua and tinana. Rain softened the ground and soaked through layers, but the spirits of the Te Ara tipuna held fast. With every bend of the track, ngā kaiako shared kōrero tuku iho. The students gathered rongoā, named manu by their songs, and followed awa as veins of life.
By Day Five, the two kura were no longer separate. Bonds had formed — in the laughter shared over boil-up and fry bread, in the blisters bandaged together, the awe sparked when they first heard whistling of Whio in the Raukokore.
On Day Six, the roopu emerged from Te Ranganui a Toi. The haerenga ended at the feet of their people, waiting with haka, waiata, and open arms. But the journey was not over. Each rangatahi now held the mauri of Te Ara Tipuna within them. They had not just walked the trail - they had become part of it.
Ko te ara o ngā tipuna, he ara ka hoki nei tātou — ki te whenua, ki te wairua, ki a tātou anō.
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