A Far North hapū has begun an environmental audit on a former privately-owned island purchased by the crown last year and land-banked for settlement.
Ngāti Ruamahue claimed the losss of the 3.4 hectare Motuekaiti just north of Matauri Bay to private ownership was a Treaty breach.
Kaitiaki Raureti Sullivan says the hapu is looking at what it would take to restore it to its former state.
“I’ve identified all the major weeds that would be a problem for restoration and now that we’re into winter I’m about to start the pest monitoring, just to suss out if we’ve got rodents or possums or mustelids or any of those nasties out there that might hamper that restoration,” he says.
Ultimately it will be up to the hapū to decide what’s best for the island’s future – and his job is to ensure they have the best information to do that.
