New Project To Protect Mauao’s Health, Mana and Mauri

Mauao is our region’s most beloved landmark, attracting over a million visitors a year and acting as a beacon of unity, resilience and guardianship for all.

Day-to-day care and maintenance is managed by a joint administration board formed by the Mauao Trust and Tauranga City Council. But a new initiative has now been launched by the trust itself to add another layer of care and consideration for Mauao’s health and wellbeing, and deepen community connections.

Ngā Kaitiaki ō Mauao Project aims to strengthen our sense of collective responsibility of kaitiakitanga (guardianship and protection), allowing more people to get involved in caring for the maunga(mountain).

“To his iwi people, Mauao is an ancestor, ”explains Mauao Trust member and Project Manager, Porina McLeod.“Our main goal is to provide opportunities for our community to give back to Mauao rather than just taking from the maunga. We know people want to give back but they just don’t have the chance to at this stage.”

The project marks the first time MauaoTrust will do its own mahi on Mauao. “Council will still take care of general track management, pest plants, animal control and things like public health and safety. What Mauao Trust will do alongside that is bring back cultural practices and help connect our community and iwi people back to the maunga,”Porina says.

“We have a range of new programmes that will help improve the health and wellbeing of Mauao, provide meaningful opportunities for iwi and community participation, strengthen environmental stewardship through education, training and action, and unite people through shared responsibility, respect, and care for the maunga.”

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Community Connection

Two full-time kaitiaki have now been hired by Mauao Trust to manage, coordinate and deliver various programmes that will be rolled out in the months and years to come. “They’re being trained now and will spend a lot of time with Mauao’s Ranger, the Western Bay Wildlife Trust, and key iwi members who hold information about Mauao’s traditions and oral history.”

A small kiosk has now been set up at the base of Mauao, opposite the Pilot Bay boat ramp, where kaitiaki will be based. People are welcome to visit the kiosk where general information will be available about Mauao's cultural, historical and ecological significance.

A range of other services that uphold manaakitanga will soon be on offer too, including regular education and awareness events, fundraising activities such as guided tours, and behavioural monitoring to encourage people to be respectful while walking the tracks so it’s a safe and positive experience for all.

“We want the public to engage and learn what it means to be a kaitiaki on Mauao. For example, there are no dogs or bikes allowed on the maunga, it’s a place for passive recreation only.”

Examples of other programmes in the pipeline include monitoring native bird species to enhance habitats and support population growth, and looking after soil health, water quality, native insects and other wildlife.

People will be invited to join Mauao’s volunteer group in future and help out with various education or ecological programmes,or pitch in with tasks like implementing track closures during bad weather or helping guide people during big sporting events.

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Financial Support

BayTrust will grant $50,000 towards the Ngā Kaitiaki ō Mauao Project this year, which Mauao Trust is “ecstatic” to receive.

“This BayTrust grant is going to do great things for the maunga and for our community. We’ve been well supported. In addition to BayTrust, we’ve got some funding from TECT and a little bit from TCCtoo and a few other sources. But the BayTrust money is for general operational costs – it doesn’t have to be tagged to any specific thing – so that allows us to put money into all the areas that aren’t currently covered. So we’re really grateful for that.”

Porina says the short-term focus is on training the two paid kaitiaki so the project is set up well for the years to come, and planned programmes can be rolled out.

“At its heart, the project seeks to elevate the standard of care for this treasured taonga. Mauao needs more voices, more hands, and more hearts. He needs his community to learn about and understand the work being done, and to join the collective effort to protect his health, his mana, and his mauri – for generations to come.”

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