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Te Arawa Lakes Trust is working with local councils to restore an important wetland at Maketu.
Project manager Terry Tapsell says the 22 hectare Whakapoukorero wetland is a remnant of the once vast 6500 hectare Kawa Swamp that covered the coastal plain around the coastal settlement.
Before it was drained for farming, Te Arawa relied on it for food, trade and building materials.
Councillor Arapeta Tahana says Bay of Plenty Regional Council is investing more than $100,000 into the five-year project through its biodiversity management programme, and another $15,000 is coming from Western Bay of Plenty District Council.
The Maori landowners and community volunteers are expected to do a lot of the work.
Removal of weeds like pampas to improve site access should be completed by the end of June, after which water levels and flows will be assessed to identify if any changes are needed to create a more natural hydrological regime.
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