Hohipere Williams says being back on whānau land in Pīpīwai after growing up elsewhere in Aotearoa is immensely fulfilling. 

Hohipere and her whānau are gradually moving back to establish papakāinga and be guardians of their whenua, while continuing farming, albeit from a te ao Māori perspective. 

“It’s awesome that our mokopuna see the need to keep the water clean. Making sure we have healthy awa for our tuna and all of our taonga species is so important,” says Hohipere. 

Working with the support of Te Kaitiaki o Ngā Uri e Whā Whānau Trust and Kaipara Moana Remediation (KMR), priorities to reduce sediment washing into waterways have been identified, starting with fencing on both sides of the Pātūtahi river. Fencing will also protect forest remnants on nearby hills and allow them to regenerate. 

This initial work will reduce streambank erosion and sediment flows from steep slopes, help stabilise a recent slip and create areas for future native planting. 

“Our whānau and hapū intend to exercise kaitiakitanga by revegetating all of the river margins on the whenua and influencing nearby whānau and landowners to do the same.” 

The Trust has mobilised whānau to get involved in restoring the ecosystem, focusing on te mana o te wai for drinking water purposes, traditional food species, and creating work for whānau. 

While the extent of planting across pockets of the 220ha property is yet to be decided, tens of thousands of native trees will eventually surround a productive landscape.  

Whānau are definitely thinking along the lines of diversifying incomes once the land is appropriately fenced – potentially cultivating food for sale, and developing agroforestry and market gardens. 

“Our tupuna set this land aside for us, so our generation must use it wisely. It is about taking kaitiaki responsibilities seriously.”