Pānui Takurua | Winter 2025
- minsley31
- Sep 3
- 6 min read
Kia ora koutou katoa!
Over the past few months, the Raukūmara Results Roadshow took us across the East Cape, connecting with hundreds of hapū, iwi, and whānau members who are all part of this vital kaupapa.
Together, our teams have made incredible progress removing over 12,399+ ungulates, servicing extensive trapping networks, and protecting precious taonga species within our intensively managed sites and ngahere.
We’ve rolled out new and effective species monitoring methods never used in our area, begun Kiwi avoidance training across the East Coast, and continued our commitment in providing opportunities for our people to connect to Te Raukūmara.
The forest is always talking, showing signs of life and hope. With more species being seen, heard, and recorded across the Raukūmara. There's so much to do and so much at stake but together, we’re making a powerful impact.
Tīhei mauriora!
Raukūmara Results Roadshow
The Raukūmara Results Roadshow was an incredible success as we journeyed across the East Cape, from Ūawa all the way through to Ruatōria, finishing in Te Kaha. Along the way, we connected with hundreds of hapū, whānau, and community members all deeply invested in the kaupapa and the fruits of this collective mahi.
At each stop, we shared key updates from the project, including the outcomes of the 1080 application and environmental monitoring. Attendees also got a first look at the latest deer and goat culling totals, a vital part of restoring the mauri of our ngahere.
We also took the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the incredible efforts of our communications and engagement teams, whose mahi has been instrumental in bringing the project to life in our communities. It’s been a powerful reminder of how far this project has come, and how important it is to keep walking this journey together. Ngā mihi nui to everyone who came out, shared their whakaaro, and helped make the roadshow such a meaningful experience.
Intensively managed sites
In our intensively managed sites, we have thorough trapping networks in place. If you came along to any of our Roadshow events, you would have met our incredible operations team, the people who spend countless hours monitoring and maintaining these sites. It’s work that tests you ā tinana (physically) and ā wairua (spiritually). The taumaha of protecting our ngahere can be immense.
Taking life, to give life should never be viewed as ‘easy’. But if we don’t, predators will wipe out our taonga species; the manu, rākau, reptiles, and plants that carry the living threads of our whakapapa. Without this mahi, the Raukūmara would continue to fall silent. Our mokopuna would inherit a forest stripped of its life, and with it, part of our identity as Ngāti Porou and Te Whānau ā Apanui.
To help us measure the impact of this mahi, we have had predator control expert John Bissell join us in our sites to independently audit our work. The results? Absolutely amazing, a true reflection of the dedication, skill, and relentless effort of our teams on the ground.
Some observations coming from our IMS:
Kiwi are being picked up on trail cameras
Kererū are being sighted more often on the forest floor
Stoats have been actively caught during this season
Pōpōkotea have been observed in the canopy
Deer and Goat Management:
To date, we have successfully removed 10,366 deer and 2,033 goats, bringing the total number of ungulates removed to 12,399 (August 2025).
Winter brings a unique set of challenges to our deer control mahi across the Raukūmara. Our ground culling teams brave freezing temperatures, high rivers, and constantly soaked terrain, working seven-day rosters deep in the ngahere.
Navigating this rugged landscape requires serious resilience, especially with limited daylight hours and difficult underfoot conditions. Camps are set up in remote areas, sometimes with the luxury of a hut, but often just a tent and a fire at the end of a long, cold day. Each culler brings their own style, shaped by experience and often alongside their kuri, who play a vital role as wild animal detection dogs. With many cullers working solo, we prioritise safety and wellbeing, staying connected through daily Starlink and comms check-ins with supervisors, managers, and whānau.
Our aerial teams face equally tough conditions. With helicopter doors off and exposure to the elements, winter flying demands sharp skill and constant adaptation. Directional winds and poor visibility limit flight coverage, while deer behaviour also changes, yarding up in sheltered areas and becoming harder to find in usual hotspots. To respond, we rely on thermal imaging and carefully chosen weather windows to increase detection. Shorter days mean tighter flying schedules, with teams needing to return to base by 5:30pm. As we now head into spring, our strategies will shift with the changes of the season. Up until now winter has defined how we operate on the ground, in the air, and in our relentless effort to protect the ngahere.
Mātātā monitoring
As part of our commitment to understanding and protecting taonga species, we've been carrying out targeted fernbird monitoring within one of our intensively managed sites and the results have been incredibly encouraging. Using a method we’ve developed that incorporates tohu of the environment, habitat preferences, and moon phases, we’ve been able to build a strong picture of fernbird occupancy in the area.
With fernbird populations declining across much of the country, this work is critically important. Mātātā are elusive and sensitive to changes in their environment, so the fact that we are seeing consistent presence in our site tells us that our pest control and habitat restoration efforts are making a real impact.
Trapping in Schools
It’s hard to believe, but we’re coming up on one year since the Trapping in Schools kaupapa was launched across Te Tairāwhiti and what a journey it’s been. With nearly 1,000 trap checks completed alongside our rangatahi, this programme has become so much more than just predator control.
Through hands-on experience, our rangatahi have learned to read the tohu of their environment, monitor by the maramataka, and understand pest behaviours. The data collected continues to evolve as our kura observe patterns under different moon phases and already, it’s telling a fascinating story. It appears in our kura environments pests and manu both seem to be most active during the Atua Whakahaehae moon phase, revealing deeper connections between the maramataka and te taiao.
The goal from the beginning was simple: to empower rangatahi to observe their environment and take action. And we've done exactly that. This kaupapa is planting seeds of kaitiakitanga that will grow for generations.
Kiwi Avoidance Training
We’re proud to share that our team has begun rolling out Kiwi Avoidance Training, a vital part of protecting our precious taonga species. We’re fortunate to have an experienced trainer on board who works closely with our team especially our deer and goat cullers, to ensure their kuri are well-trained and safe to work in kiwi habitats.
This kaupapa has now expanded beyond our kaimahi, with training sessions being offered directly to our people. We recently held our first community training in Te Kaha, and it was a fantastic turnout. Our next stop is Ruatōria, where we’re excited to bring this opportunity to even more whānau.
If you have working dogs or kuri that spend time in the bush, this is an awesome chance to be part of the incredible mahi to protect our ngahere and the species that call it home. Keep an eye out for upcoming training dates - we’d love to see you there.
Planting
As part of our ongoing commitment to healing and restoring te taiao, we’ve been proud to support planting initiatives across Te Whānau a Apanui and Ngāti Porou, working alongside hapū, kura, marae, and local communities. With hundreds and in many areas, thousands of native trees now in the ground, this mahi is making a real and lasting impact across the rohe.
From riparian planting to erosion control, forest restoration to kai and rongoā gardens, every seedling represents a step forward in restoring balance to our whenua. These projects not only improve biodiversity and water quality, but also strengthen our connection to the whenua and build resilience for future generations. Wherever possible, we prioritise locally sourced and eco-sourced natives, ensuring we’re planting species that whakapapa to these landscapes and are adapted to thrive here.
What makes this kaupapa even more powerful is the people behind it, tamariki with muddy hands, kaumātua sharing kōrero, and whānau who will return year after year to care for what they’ve planted. This isn’t just about trees it’s about regenerating ecosystems, relationships, and identity.
Looking ahead:
With spring knocking at our door, we’re gearing up for another big season ahead. Our teams are preparing to head back into the Raukūmara to carry out critical species monitoring and pest monitoring, gathering the data we need to guide and strengthen our next steps. It’s all on, and we’re ready for it!
Ngā mihi nunui,
Raukūmara Pae Maunga
