Background
We are a group of long-term residents who own land within the proposed Coromandel Peninsula conservation corridor that covers some 8,000 hectares extending from Harataunga to Tuateawa on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula and from Amodeo Bay to Colville in the west. We have come together to restore the mauri of the forest, streams, wetlands, and beaches which are such a distinctive feature of this area. We believe cooperative landowner-driven initiatives such as this with support from iwi and other stakeholders present exciting opportunities.
We will be actively promoting the involvement of other landowners and community groups and building on their achievements. We have the support and engagement of the Department of Conservation – Te Papa Atawhai as kaitiaki of a substantial area of adjacent Public Conservation Land. We encourage inputs from management and research organisations, donors, and others with aligned interests. This project is an initiative of and has full support of tangata whenua, Ngāti Porou ki Hauraki. It has been conceived, is being jointly developed, and will be led by Māori who whakapapa to and have mana whenua for Harataunga/Kennedy Bay.
While the focus of the project is on conservation outcomes, the long and rich human history of the area is not neglected. The initial phase of the project concentrates on major Māori land blocks within the project area. The project will provide the opportunity for tangata whenua in general and rangatahi in particular to reconnect with their land and its native ecosystems, flora, and fauna. The project connects directly with existing community pest control projects filling the geographic gap that currently exists around Harataunga/Kennedy Bay.