46 | A model of iwi-government partnership To offset vegetation removal, the project includes an ambitious restoration planting program with around 289,000 natives planted across 47ha of land in and around the project area. Te Ara o Te Ata – Mt Messenger Bypass T T Karen Phelps REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT At the heart of the success story of Te Ara o Te Ata – Mt Messenger Bypass is the partnership between Waka Kotahi (New Zealand Transport Agency), the Mt Messenger Alliance, and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Tama. Caleb Perry, owner interface manager at Te Ara o Te Ata: Mt Messenger Bypass says this collaboration, which began in 2016, has evolved into a model of mutual respect and shared vision. “We’re working on ancestral lands and land that has been taken from the iwi once before,” explains Caleb. “The objective is to work in partnership on how the project can be delivered and the aspirations of the iwi can be supported during that process.” The fact the project traverses Ngāti Tama rohe (territory) presented both challenges and opportunities. Twenty hectares of land needed for the bypass had been returned to the iwi through a treaty settlement, necessitating careful negotiation and consideration of Ngāti Tama’s roles as both manawhenua and kaitiaki (guardians) of the Parininihi, a 2000-ha conservation area stretching from Whitecliffs on the coast inland to Mt Messenger. Caleb says that Ngāti Tama’s involvement has been comprehensive, informing key aspects of the project, including route selection, bypass design, cultural expression, and the development of a significant environmental programme. “This holistic approach reflects the iwi’s deep connection to the land and their commitment to its preservation,” he says. A pivotal moment came in 2020 when iwi members voted overwhelmingly in favour of agreements with Waka Kotahi, allowing the land exchange necessary for the bypass. The deal, which includes a 120-ha coastal property in exchange for 20ha of Ngāti Tama land, a cultural compensation payment, and an extensive environmental programme, demonstrates the project’s commitment to providing lasting benefits to the iwi, says Caleb. The environmental aspects of the agreement are particularly noteworthy. It includes pest management in perpetuity on 3650ha of Ngāti Tama’s rohe, supporting the iwi’s ongoing conservation efforts in the Parininihi. Caleb says this aligns with Ngāti Tama’s existing project to control pests, restore habitat, and reintroduce lost species, notably the kokako. The partnership extends beyond environmental considerations to encompass cultural expression within the project design. “The project marks the journey of users to reflect the gate-keeping function of Ngāti Tama. As the northern most Taranaki iwi, they were protecting the area from invading forces from the north, and the challenging typography of Mt Messenger formed that defensive line for Ngāti Tama to hold. That narrative is expressed in the design of the new bypass.” Near the tunnel’s northern entrance, three pou will depict the defence line that reflects the wero (challenge) Ngāti Tama presented to others entering Taranaki from the north. The tunnel’s northern portal features Te Kauae o Ngāti Tama (the jaws of Ngāti Tama), incorporating symbols of local wildlife, ancestral stars, and markings representing the three iwi descending from voyagers on the Tokomaru waka. “It’s about ensuring people are aware of the cultural significance of the land,” says Caleb. “This cultural awareness extends to everyone involved in the project. For example, on their first day people coming to work on the site receive a cultural induction at the marae with Ngāti Tama welcoming them to the area.” The partnership also promises tangible economic benefits for Ngāti Tama. The bypass construction and associated environmental work, including pest management and restoration planting, will provide employment and training opportunities for iwi members and others in the community. Caleb says that the Te Ara o Te Ata – Mt Messenger Bypass project stands as a testament to what can be achieved when infrastructure development is approached with cultural sensitivity and environmental stewardship. “It demonstrates that progress and preservation need not be mutually exclusive, and that by working in true partnership with tangata whenua, large-scale projects can deliver benefits that extend far beyond improved transportation.” A green revolution in road construction One of the key aspects of the Te Ara o Te Ata – Mt Messenger Bypass project is its comprehensive environmental focus. “We’re implementing a substantial environmental restoration programme alongside the construction. This holistic approach ensures that we’re enhancing the natural environment even as we improve the infrastructure,” says Caleb Perry, owner interface manager at Te Ara o Te Ata: Mt Messenger Bypass. He says the project’s environmental programme is unprecedented in scale for a New Zealand roading project. At its core is an intensive, multi-species pest-management initiative covering an expansive 3650ha – stretching from the coast to almost 10km inland. This effort aims to offset the ecological impacts of construction and support the forest’s recovery from years of pest damage, as well as improve the diversity of native plants and animals, including long-tailed bats, kiwi, and lizards. The pest-management strategy is comprehensive, targeting a wide range of invasive species, including deer, goats, wild pigs, feral cats, possums, ferrets, stoats, weasels, and rats. A network of tracks spanning 250km is being established, with bait stations every 150m. The approach combines ground and aerial pest-control operations with hunting to significantly reduce pest numbers. Caleb says the project team has also been working since 2017 to monitor and protect a wide range of native species. For the North Island brown kiwi, exclusion zones are established during nesting periods, and eggs are carefully uplifted to be hatched safely. Chicks are then raised and released in pest-managed parts of Parininihi. Long-tailed bats, another focus of conservation efforts, are protected by diverting them to suitable mature trees unaffected by construction. “All trees that do need to be felled are thoroughly checked by expert ecologists to make sure no bats are roosting there.” Lizards, including endangered species, are relocated to protected habitats by specialists during road construction. Freshwater species are safeguarded through carefully designed elements such as fish passages and temporary stream diversions. To offset vegetation removal, the project includes an ambitious restoration planting program with around 289,000 natives planted across 47ha of land in and around the project area. ERECT IT SCAFFOLDING Scaffolding Hire • Assembly • Removal Servicing the wider Wellington region 027 886 6688 www.erectitscaffolding.co.nz info@erectitscaffolding.co.nz
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=