Kaitorete restoration brings whānau and community together
A planting day at Kaitorete Spit, near Birdlings Flat, brought whānau, community members and partner organisations together to restore native habitat and reconnect people with the whenua.
More than a planting day
The project is led by Tāwhaki, an aerospace and whenua rejuvenation kaupapa jointly owned by Te Taumutu Rūnanga and Wairewa Rūnanga with the Crown.
Established in 2021, Tāwhaki was founded with a vision to heal and rejuvenate Kaitorete while creating opportunities for future generations.
For Julian Phillips, head of whenua planning and rejuvenation at Tāwhaki, the planting day represented something much bigger than environmental restoration.
“It takes a community to progress an aspiration as big as we have.”
Whānau, community members and partner organisations gather before planting at Kaitorete Spit
Restoring whenua, guided by the past
At Kaitorete, clues from the past are helping shape the future of the landscape.
Recent soil samples identified pollen from several native species, including miro, tōtara, kahikatea and mataī, helping build a picture of what once grew at the wetland and informing restoration efforts today.
For Tāwhaki, however, success is measured by more than the plants that return. It is also about helping whānau reconnect with whenua.
Reconnecting whānau to whenua
When Tāwhaki purchased whenua on Kaitorete in 2021, it represented an important step in reconnecting the rūnanga with whenua from which it had been largely alienated for more than 160 years.
For many whānau, projects such as planting at Kaitorete provide an opportunity to reconnect with places that sustained their tīpuna for generations.
“The healing part is important. It’s about recognising the pain that comes with losing land and losing the opportunities that land provides.”
“We made a commitment to connect our whānau to the land. Planting is a beautiful way to do that.”
A shared vision in action
Partnership has been central to the project from the beginning. Environment Canterbury has supported restoration, pest management and wider environmental work across Kaitorete alongside other organisations, whānau and community partners.
Planting partners included Wildlands Ecology and Restoration, Pest Free Banks Peninsula, the Department of Conservation, Environment Canterbury and aerospace operators Dawn and Kea, who joined whānau on the day.
A blueprint for the future
For Julian, one of the most significant outcomes has not just been the number of plants established, but the relationships formed along the way.
“If you have mana whenua in the mix, they can help convene people around a shared vision. It’s a great blueprint for how we could be looking after some of our special places moving forward.”
As the restoration programme continues, he hopes the project will keep building momentum while recognising the contributions of those helping bring the vision to life.
Learn about Tāwhaki’s kaupapa to rejuvenate Kaitorete, create opportunities for future generations and support aerospace innovation. Discover Tāwhaki’s work at Kaitorete