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February 22, 2026
#regional: Restoring the Mauri of Tongariro — Strengthening People, Place, and Economy
Matthew Tukaki
Posted On February 22, 2026
Tongariro stands not only as a physical landscape of volcanic peaks and ancient forests, but as a living taonga – a sacred layer of our tūpuna’s legacy embedded in the heart of Aotearoa. It is wāhi tapu, central to many whakapapa and pae tawhiti of our iwi, and a source of identity and sustenance for whānau across the Ruapehu rohe. When fire swept through more than 3,000 hectares of this National Park last year, it was more than the land that suffered – the mauri, the life force of the whenua, was wounded, and with it the networks of people whose wellbeing is intertwined with this sacred place.
In response, the Government has committed $3.5 million drawn from the International Visitor Levy (IVL) to support a five-year programme of restoration. This funding will be directed into sustained weed control, pest management, and biodiversity monitoring, recognising that conscious stewardship is needed so that new life can take hold and flourish after the devastation.
For Māori, healing the whenua is inseparable from healing the people. The restoration work is being progressed through Maunga Ora, a long-term partnership between Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro and the Department of Conservation, bringing together tikanga, mātauranga Māori and science-based ecological practice. This kaupapa honours the deep kaitiakitanga responsibilities that generations have carried – an understanding that the wellbeing of the maunga is directly linked to the wellbeing of the community that whakapapa to it.
Tongariro holds Dual World Heritage status, a rare global recognition of its combined natural and cultural significance. It has long been a source of sustenance – spiritually, culturally and economically – for the people of Ruapehu, supporting tourism, recreation and employment across the district. The scars of fire did more than blacken slopes; they interrupted this flow of life and livelihood, affecting local businesses and families whose days are shaped by the seasons of the whenua.
The mauri of the land is evident in the first signs of new native seedlings pushing through the charred soil. But without ongoing care, invasive weeds and pests like deer can quickly overwhelm these tender shoots. This restoration programme embraces tikanga of active guardianship – tending the whenua not just for its own sake but for the future generations who will draw sustenance and identity from its forests and mountains.
From a te ao Māori viewpoint, the investment is not merely an economic boost – though it will support regional jobs and strengthen the local economy by securing the park as a foundation for rangatahi employment and sustainable enterprise. Rather, it is a commitment to uphold the interconnected wellbeing of people and place: to restore the mauri of Tongariro so that it continues to nourish minds, hearts and bodies, standing as a living legacy for generations yet to come.
As our tīpuna taught, when the mauri of the land is healthy, the people thrive. This restoration work is an expression of that enduring wisdom – a collective stride towards healing Tongariro and, through it, the wider interwoven ecosystems of people, whenua and community across our rohe.
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