A network of green spaces or ‘green corridors’ is growing in Kaitaia due to a partnership between a local environmental group and the community.
Te Pokapū Tiaki Taiao O Te Tai Tokerau Trust (Far North Environment Centre), through their group, Tuituia te Kahunuku, is leading an initiative to support and promote zero waste in the area by cleaning up and revitalising green spaces.
The Trust’s Regeneration Green Spaces Te Hiku Project/Tuituia te Kahunuku is one of 19 initiatives WWF-New Zealand, in partnership with the Tindall Foundation, is supporting this year through its Community Conservation Fund.
Green spaces, also known as green corridors, are home to flora, fauna, waterways and wetlands. These spaces are often environmentally-rich habitats for a range of wildlife species and plant life.
Tuituia te Kahunuku works with individuals, businesses, schools, and organisations to restore areas that have become dumping grounds for rubbish and breeding grounds for pests by hosting working bees. Volunteers work to identify and clear invasive species/pests and replant native trees and plants.
The group also creates foraging spaces for the community, hosts workshops, and facilitates traditional storytelling to support the Kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of these newly-reclaimed green spaces. Events bring the community together to share local knowledge, stories and even foraged food.
The project is centred on a Te Ao Māori approach with a focus on the wellbeing of the whenua (land) and its people. Acknowledging that mātauranga Māori offers wisdom to modern challenges, the project encourages knowledge-sharing and education to empower tāngata whenua and future generations. One recent planting day even brought together three generations of wāhine.
“We have embarked on an exciting journey. Together, we are weaving a garment of beauty for Papatūānuku, our earth mother,” says a spokesperson for Tuituia te Kahunuku, Waikarere Gregory.
The WWF Community Conservation Fund supports local communities to run projects that conserve and restore Aotearoa’s natural environment, while also educating New Zealanders about its importance.
Applications for the Community Conservation Fund 2024 round close on 15 September.