Efforts to restore the ecosystem and mahinga kai around Southland’s Waituna lagoon has been boosted with funding from a $2 million community development fund set up by New Zealand Aluminium Smelter Limited, its owner Rio Tinto and Ngāi Tahu.
The pūtea for Te Tapu o Tāne project will allow Te Wai Parera Trust along with Te Rūnanga o Awarua and Te Whakamana te Waituna Partners to plant 20 hectares of native plants around 50 hectares of new ponding.
Te Tapu o Tāne chief executive Jana Davis says they want to see the Pikiraurahi with a healthy ecosystem so there are habitats for native game bird, wading birds and fish species, and wetlands which in turn provide excellent tuna habitat and provide abundant mahinga kai gathering opportunities for local whānau.
In the first round of funding, up to $1.15 million was allocated to seven projects.
