Iwi’s vision: gardens, food forests, clean water

Rooftop gardens, urban food forests and swimmable city waterways are all part of an Auckland iwi’s plan to “mainstream” kaitiakitanga.

Nga¯ti Wha¯tua O¯ra¯kei’s 2018 iwi management plan, Te Pou o te Ka¯hu Po¯kere, lays out iwi objectives on land, air and water management within its rohe (tribal area).

The plan, presented to a meeting of Auckland Council’s planning committee, involved embedding and “mainstreaming” kaitiakitanga, guardianship and conservation, into the council’s planning and documents.

The plan was produced in partnership with Auckland Council, and was to be a “manual” on iwi interests for those working under the Resource Management Act.

Nga¯ti Wha¯tua O¯ ra¯kei Trust deputy chair Ngarimu Blair said they had worked with council staff to make it more relevant.

“The previous plan we did [in 2012] was probably left on a shelf, gathering dust. With this one we co-designed it with the council planners from start to finish to make it more meaningful.

“Our hope is our objectives around water quality, air quality, biodiversity, will become more widely known in council policy and projects.”

Iwi and the council had been trying to “weave the two world views together”, of kaitiakitanga and resource management, Blair said.

The iwi wants to see greater biodiversity in the city.

New developments, open spaces, streets and public gardens should increase native vegetation, and maximise ecological and indigenous biodiversity values.

This would include locally sourced native species, food sources for native birds and habitats for native animals. Small developments could incorporate rooftop gardens or green walls. Some spaces could include kai (food) plants.

The iwi called for streams, rivers and the sea to be fit for swimming and gathering of kai.

Methods to improve water quality included rain gardens and wetlands, riparian planting, restoration of natural streams and sediment traps.

Auckland Council general manager of plans and places John Duguid said the plan had a good starting point.

While there were consistencies with council transport, biodiversity and cultural policies, other areas, like stopping wastewater discharges, went further, Duguid said.

“This is the big opportunity for the council now to look at what we can practically do more on.”