Hon Eugenie Sage
Minister of Conservation
Minita mō Te Papa Atawhai
An iwi-Crown approach programme to restore the Raukūmara forest on the East Coast of the North Island and boost
employment opportunities for whānau, particularly rangatahi/young people, will receive $34 million funding, Minister of
Conservation Eugenie Sage has announced.
“Raukūmara Pae Maunga is a partnership with Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Porou, and Te Papa Atawhai (DOC) which will
strengthen cultural connections with the Raukūmara, involve pest control over 150,000 hectares of whenua/land and
contribute to habitat and species recovery,” said Eugenie Sage.
“Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Ngāti Porou deserve thanks for their efforts to raise public awareness about the state of the
Raukūmara and the need to protect these magnificent forests. They have developed this project to do just that alongside
Te Papa Atawhai.
“The Raukūmara needs urgent care after being simultaneously attacked by possums, deer, goats, rats and stoats. These
pests and predators have destroyed the canopy and understorey of the ngāhere/forest, and attacked threatened species to
the point of local extinction.
“As a result of this sustained attack from the explosion of pests, soil health is poor and there’s a decline in seeds
and new growth.”
The Raukūmara Conservation Park is home to rare species like whio/blue duck, kaka, kererū, and Hochstetter’s frog.
“This programme will help turn around the biodiversity crisis and provide an avenue of employment and upskilling for
those that live in the East Coast area. It will help sustain ahi kā/ strengthen a sense of connection with place and
community” said Eugenie Sage.
The funding, over four years, is part of the Government’s $1.3 billion Jobs for Nature programme to assist with economic
recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.
At least 23 jobs will be created initially, with another 18 seasonal FTEs expected for deer and goat culling. The work
will include pest control, trapping, restoration planning, cultural advice, carbon monitoring and biodiversity
monitoring.
“This is a good example of Jobs for Nature funding being used to uplift communities while restoring and protecting our
precious places, to ensure our native wildlife thrives” said Eugenie Sage.
This is a genuine partnership with Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Ngāti Porou who both have strong connections with the
Raukūmara dating back hundreds of years, and want to work together to see the ngāhere restored to health. It’s also a
way to maintain cultural practices such as mahinga kai and rongoā, and create local employment.