Te Ripo O Hinemata Wetland
Background
Te Ripo o Hinemata Wetland has cultural and historic significance for the hapu Ngati Hinemata, whose ancestry is from the iwi Ngati Raukawa and sub-tribe Ngarongo.
The land has been in Maori ownership for many years and in 1992 it was vested in a Trust, with trustees representing the owner families. The Trust is empowered to lease the land holdings and to enter into a Deed of Covenant with the Department of Conservation and compile a management plan for the wetlands.
In 1995, the wetland (as part of the larger “Koputaroa Rail Wetland”) was surveyed as part of the Protected Natural Areas Programme (PNAP). At that time, the forest, shrubland, and reedland vegetation was described as “very diverse…with several locally uncommon plants present”. The wetland was grazed, with many weeds present.
In 1999, the wetland was protected by a Conservation Covenant (Kereru Covenant) with the Department of Conservation.
A management plan for the Kereru Covenant was developed (DOC 2006) outlining aims and objectives, a description of the site, and management issues and policies. The management plan forms the basis of this restoration plan. The landowners would like the area to be known as Te Ripo O Hinemata Wetland.
In 2005, the Manawatu Kukutauaki No. 3 Section 2E5 Trust made a successful application to the Biodiversity Condition Fund (administered by DOC), receiving a Biodiversity Advice Fund grant of $8,000 to commission a restoration action plan.
The Kereru Conservation Covenant restoration project is being supported by:
· Ngati Hinemata;
· Horizons Manawatu (Regional Council); and
· Department of Conservation