Mana whenua rep Waiora Rogers appointeed to Te Mata Park Trust Board

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Te Mata Park Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of Waiora Rogers to the Park Trust Board, following an amendment to the Trust Deed earlier this year.  This change ensures ongoing mana whenua representation on the Board.

“We are delighted to welcome Waiora to the Board and look forward to facilitating & incorporating mana whenua views and values throughout management of the Park,’’ comments Mike Devonshire, Chairman of Te Mata Park Trust.  

“We are extremely proud of this milestone, and we look forward to having the advice, wisdom, and knowledge of mana whenua around our Board table.”

The Trust Deed (which was established in 1927) was amended through the High Court earlier this year, ensuring that one person of mana whenua descent be appointed by Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated, on the recommendation of the Trust’s mana whenua roopu.    

‘’The appointee will hold the position for three years and is eligible for reappointment for one further term,’’ adds Mr. Devonshire.

Waiora Rogers has extensive governance experience, including serving on the Boards of Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga and Ngati Kahungunu Iwi, and brings both unique and complementary skills to the Board table.  

“It will be a privilege and an honour to serve on the Board for the ongoing preservation of our Park that is much loved by many,” comments Ms. Rogers.

The appointment is also endorsed by Marei Apatu, Te Kaihautū at Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga.  ‘’As a mana whenua, Waiora brings a historical connection to this regional icon, Te Matā, Te Karanemanema o Te Mata o Rongokako, for the first time in 94 years.  Waiora descends from the bloodline rangatira ancestress, Winipere Rotohenga and tipuna Te Rehunga. As a regular recreational user of the Te Mata Park, Waiora is recognised as a Kaumatua athlete completing many marathons and Iron Maori events, and this makes Waiora the ideal person for this important relationship.’’

Also in agreement, direct descendant of the founders of the Park and long serving Trust Board member Bruno Chambers, says it will be great to welcome Waiora to the Trust Board and have Maori representation going forward. ‘’The Te Mata Park Trust Deed is approaching 100 years old, and while it has been a visionary document protecting the park for future generations, it is good to see it amended. I look forward to the cultural input and protection of our beloved peak, that the inclusion of mana whenua will bring.’’   

Ngahiwi Tomoana, Chair of Ngati Kahungunu also voiced his strong support for the appointment.  ‘’I have 100% support for Waiora Rogers. She is a 4th generation direct descendant of Winipere Rotohenga who was captured and taken prisoner during the 1830 musket raids by Waikato iwi. Waiora will bring tangata whenua views to the Board as a marae, Taiwhenua and an Iwi board member.’’

In recent years, the Board have promoted and fostered positive progress in many aspects of the Park, including strengthening relationships with mana whenua.  

Chair of the Mana Whenua Roopu and Te Mata Park Trustee, Councillor Bayden Barber expressed his support of this ongoing relationship. “Having a mana whenua representative on the Trust is a major step in the right direction.  Waiora has already contributed much to the Mana Whenua Roopu so we are very excited to have her input working alongside our Trustees.”  

Mike Devonshire reiterated the significance of this milestone.  ‘’It is essential to have a Trustee of mana whenua descent, to acknowledge and facilitate compliance with the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi – partnership, participation and protection.  As a taonga for tangata whenua, it is a natural progression to include mana whenua on the Trust Board.’’

“This is an incredibly exciting time for the Park.  We wish to build on recent exciting developments and further cement Te Mata Park as an outstanding asset for all of Hawke’s Bay to enjoy.” 

 

One Giant Chance Land at Te Mata Park is Officially Open

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15 December, 2020
Hawkes Bay Today
By: Louise Gould

There are now more parts of Te Mata Peak’s sleeping giant Rongokako to explore this summer.

Te Mata Park’s new block of land officially opens this morning, giving people new pathways and tracks to discover on the peak.

Te Mata Park Trust manager Emma Buttle said it’s great to have finally opened the new area after three years working on the project with the One Giant Chance campaign.

“It has been a humbling experience, with hundreds of individuals, families, businesses and charitable trusts contributing – enabling us to purchase the land and develop it for all to enjoy,” she said.

A blessing was held on Tuesday with a karakia and waiata introducing the new land that has been described by Buttle as “the missing piece of the puzzle.”

The land encompasses a new network of well graded walking tracks that are all up to the Department of Conservation’s national standards.

The trails link up to the main gates and Tauroa Rd car park and provide a variety of different loops.

Buttle said the walking tracks pass through a recently established kowhai grove, a wetlands area and a protected Wahi Tapu site.

“The trails take in some outstanding views of the Heretaunga Plains and ranges, along the way,” she added.

The land includes intermediate mountain bike tracks that link in to the rest of the park – the trust has also weaved in a kid’s biking area called Tamariki Ako.

Trust board chairman Mike Devonshire said it is astonishing how many people deeply care about Te Mata Peak and have contributed to the addition.

“It has been a community project from the beginning and will continue to be an asset that is created and used by everyone throughout Hawke’s Bay,” he said.

Devonshire said there is something for everyone to enjoy in the 8.5 hectares of new parkland.

A map has been made to include Te Mata Park's new trails and attractions around the Peak. Photo / Supplied
A map has been made to include Te Mata Park’s new trails and attractions around the Peak.

“It’s hard to pick a favourite area – there is the Rongoa Garden which signifies a strong community link, connection to the land and is an educational resource,” he said.

There are a series of low grade walking tracks through Rongoa Garden, which is still being finished.

The garden will be used to grow medicinal and beneficial native plants.

The project began more than three years ago, and involved a lengthy fundraising campaign – which resulted in $1.25m raised to purchase the land.

Since then, Buttle said the trust has raised a further $750,000 to establish the trails and restore the land in anticipation of planting 29,000 native trees.

“Already, our volunteers and contractors have planted 5000 natives, but we have much further to go,” she said.

Trust communications and education coordinator Sara Shaw said the board’s vision is creating a legacy for the next generation through “preserving, protecting and regenerating this precious land”.

Re-Vegetation Project at Te Mata Park; Community Mulching Days and Rongoā Rōpū

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29th October 2020

With the forestry work now complete, the Te Mata Park revegetation project is well underway with new native trees dotting the landscape and the rongoā garden taking shape. Over winter, many community volunteers, schools, and groups organised to plant 15,000 native trees in the harvested areas, the new land, and the rongoā garden near the Main Gates Car Park. In the future, these young native trees will form biodiverse forests across Te Mata Park, and the rongoā garden will be a valuable resource for the community of Hawke’s Bay to come and learn about rongoā Māori.  

With the help of Te Aratika Academy and Tamatea Rugby Club as well as other schools and organisations, the Park has initiated work on the rongoā garden and the mulching of the young plants. However, there are still a great deal of plantings to protect from summer conditions and mulch piles created from the recent pine tree harvest that must be reduced to minimise fire risk. 

The Te Mata Park Trust Board is seeking members of the community to get involved with mulching in upcoming working bees on 31st October, 5th November, 14th November and 22nd November. Check out the details HERE.

A rongoā rōpū is also being formed to look after the health of the ecosystem within and around the rongoā garden. The Park invites interested members of the community to come and help care for the garden on a monthly basis. Both of these opportunities will enhance the mauri of this whenua for the benefit of all. 

The Board welcomes individuals and groups to make contact if they wish to join our volunteer mulching days or the Rongoā Rōpū. Contact Sara Shaw at sara@tematapark.co.nz with your interest. 

Donations are being accepted HERE  in order to fund the planting of and caring for native trees. 

 

 

 

Spring in the Park

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September 2020 Spring Newsletter 

Spring is undoubtedly here! The Park is a hive of activity with birds feeding on the fresh blossom, new native trees dotting the landscape, and track installation in progress in the recently harvested areas as well as on the new land. Looking back, it’s been a busy winter in the Park. 15,000 native trees were planted, the Rongoā garden is quickly evolving, and a partnership with Enviroschools is assisting the Park in growing its education programmes.

With the forestry work finished, all previously closed tracks are now open, and the tracks on the new land will be open for summer adventures by Christmas. Please do not attempt to access the land at this stage as we have various contractors on site with heavy machinery, and it is not yet safe for public use. 

Well done to everyone who has given their time, resources, and energy to create new native forests and new places to play in Te Mata Park. 

Wishing everyone a wonderful spring!

-The Te Mata Park Trust Board

 

Growing Rongoā with Te Aratika Academy and Local Community

 With the leadership of Rongoā expert Tyne-Marie Nelson and our Project Manager, Guy Morris (pictured in yellow), the Rongoā garden near the main gates car park is truly taking shape. Prior to the community planting day in early August, the students 

from Te Aratika Academy cleared the land in preparation. It was really hard work, and they put in a huge effort.

For the planting of the Rongoā garden, it was a very wet August day, and still over 

35 people turned up to brave the wet weather. We started the morning with a karakia, led by Jerry Hapuku, and finished with gourmet sausages from Clive Butchery and kawakawa tea. 

The Rongoā garden is an important and evolving project, and we are seeking volunteers to meet monthly and work in the garden, caring for the plants and learning about Rongoā.

 CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR RONGOĀ GARDEN 

Park User Reminders:

DOGS: Please control dogs and clean up after them. If you have a dog that can be unpredictable, please keep them on a lead.

CAR THEFT: Please don’t leave valuables in your car when visiting the Park to discourage theft from vehicles.

INCIDENTS: Report any incidents you see by contacting us through Facebook or notifying the police by calling 105.

Educational Advancements in Te Mata Park

Te Mata Park was pleased to welcome Te Aratika Academy, Haumoana School, and Iona College into the Park in recent weeks to assist with various projects as well as for learning opportunities. We’re growing the educational experiences at Te Mata Park in many ways, and we’re grateful for the schools who have been so keen to engage with all the Park has to offer.

We’ve also formed a partnership with the incredible national environmental action organisation, Enviroschools. This partnership came about as a desire to bring more educational opportunities to the park. Fortunately for us, Enviroschools was also keen to bring their expertise on the environment, long-term sustainability, and empowerment of young people to the experience. We are so pleased to now be working together

with them as they help us to develop and support our new programme, and recently we welcomed our first school group from Haumoana School.

Tamariki from Haumoana School (pictured) were incredibly engaged with their experience: they planted flaxes with Mike Lusk, explored the Little Redwoods, hunted for fossils and insects, used their senses to engage with the natural world around them, and learned about plants, birds, conservation, culture, and history of the park. It was an incredible day with many happy and enriched children playing and learning in the forest.

We look forward to providing more nature-based education experiences to schools and community groups as our programme continues to evolve; please get in touch with Sara Shaw  if you or your school would like to get involved.

WORDS FROM MIKE LUSK (our resident plant expert and caretaker for over 20 years) :

Spring 2020

After a very busy preparation/planting season the 15,000 new natives are getting their roots down and 

will, we hope receive timely spring rains so they’ll be well able to cope with whatever summer brings. Certainly a few that I’ve needed to shift look good both above and below the ground.

Planting in Te Mata park requires much thought, and the range chosen has been restricted to those that cope with full sun, strong winds and a dry summer. Those that rabbits eat, and most others too, have been protected with cleverly designed cardboard surrounds, and all with a square hemp pad. Mulch from the chewed up pine debris will be added shortly and the need for careful weed spraying will soon be evident. Watering is not feasible except in a few small areas.We expect too that some of the natives shattered in the felling will sprout new growth and with large established root systems, should grow quickly.

When not in the newly cleared areas look out for kereru in the tree lucerne, and be entertained by all the other birds boasting and defending territories. Much as we enjoy it, they are not singing for our pleasure. Translations of the lyrics might well be quite indelicate.   – Mike Lusk

THANK YOU for your ongoing support of Te Mata Park.Please do contact our Park Manager Emma Buttle if you have any questions or concerns.

Want to get involved but not sure how? Join our volunteer database or  gift a tree to Te Mata Park. 

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Haere mai | Welcome to Te Mata Park and its famous peak, one of the most loved and visited places in Hawke’s Bay.
Gifted in perpetuity to the community in 1927 and managed by a small group of volunteer trustees, with appreciated help from local councils and the community, the Park is a cultural, historical and recreational treasure.

Three times winner of the presitigous international enviromental award.

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