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February 24, 2026
#regional: $3.5 Million Boost for Tongariro National Park Restoration Welcomed by Ruapehu Mayor
Matthew Tukaki
Posted On February 24, 2026
Ruapehu Mayor Weston Kirton has welcomed a $3.5 million Government investment to restore large areas of Tongariro National Park damaged by last year’s significant fires.
The funding, drawn from the International Visitor Levy, will support restoration work across more than 3,000 hectares of the park over the next five years. The announcement has been described as a major step forward in long-term recovery efforts for one of Aotearoa’s most significant cultural and natural landscapes.
Tongariro National Park holds Dual World Heritage status and carries deep cultural importance for iwi, alongside its environmental and tourism value. The maunga sits at the heart of the Ruapehu region’s visitor economy, drawing thousands of domestic and international visitors each year.
Mayor Kirton acknowledged the Government and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka for committing to sustained restoration funding, noting the scale and duration of the investment will enable meaningful recovery rather than short-term fixes.
The funding will help deliver Maunga Ora, a recovery and restoration plan developed by local hapū Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro. The plan is grounded in science, tikanga and mātauranga Māori, and aims to restore the mauri of the landscape following fire damage.
Key elements of the restoration programme include sustained weed control, pest management – including deer control – and ongoing biodiversity monitoring to protect native vegetation that has already begun regenerating naturally.
While early signs of regeneration are visible on parts of the maunga, there are concerns that without sustained intervention, gains made over the past year could be undermined by invasive species and browsing animals.
The investment is also expected to deliver economic benefits to the wider Ruapehu district. Restoration activity will generate local employment opportunities directly through on-the-ground conservation work. Indirectly, the injection of funds is anticipated to flow through to businesses and services that depend on a healthy tourism sector.
Mayor Kirton said using International Visitor Levy funding for the project aligns with the purpose of the levy, which is designed to reinvest visitor contributions into the natural and cultural assets that underpin New Zealand’s tourism industry.
The restoration effort is framed not only as an environmental priority, but also as a long-term investment in regional resilience, employment and community wellbeing.
As work begins under the five-year programme, the focus will remain on protecting the ecological integrity of Tongariro National Park while reinforcing its role as a taonga for both local communities and visitors from around the world.
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