- We support the proposed Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Deed of Acknowledgement, noting that this is a statutory requirement under the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008
- We support the development of a strategic plan for the Heritage Area, with ongoing monitoring and reporting for that plan
- We are concerned about lack of funding for the preservation and restoration of the Heritage Area and would urge the Council to take this opportunity to better resource this work
- We support provision of dedicated staff resourcing both within the Council and Te Kawerau ā Maki to enable implementation of the proposed strategic plan and associated work programmes
- We support the proposed establishment of a joint committee to monitor the strategic plan but would urge the establishment of technical advisory groups to support it
- We would also urge a collaborative and transparent approach to the proposed committee’s decision-making, including formal opportunities for public participation and comment
- We note that the establishment of a Deed of Acknowledgement is separate from other proposals such as the “Heart of the Ngahere” proposal.
In 2017 Te Kawerau ā Maki established a rāhui in the Waitākere Ranges in response to Kauri dieback. Some people were confused by the kaupapa of this strategic move, and yet it precipitated a significant effort on the part of Auckland Council and central government to take action on Kauri Dieback. James Littlewood and Hank Snell spoke to Te Kawerau ā Maki whānau Robin Taua Gordon and “Uncle George” Taua about the significance of the forest from the perspective of tangata whenua.
This short documentary was produced for Radio New Zealand with funding from NZ on Air.