1. NGATIWAI RESOURCE MANAGEMENT UNIT
September 2016 “Hui-a-Iwi” Quarterly Report

2. NGATIWAI RESOURCE MANAGEMENT UNIT
The Ngatiwai Trust Board Resource Management Unit (NTB-RMU) works to ensure the sustainable management of the natural and physical resources of Te Iwi o Ngatiwai. The Unit provides consultancy services under sections 5,6,7 & 8 of the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and is directly accountable to the Iwi through the Ngatiwai Trust Board Trustees.
Resource Consent
Under the RMA, resource consent applications that may impact on cultural values are required to be referred to Tangata Whenua. This is to facilitate adequate consultation, cultural assessment and input. The process normally requires site visits and/or the production of a Cultural Impact Assessment (CIA) by NTB-RMU. The Cultural Impact Assessment is utilised by applicants, councils and Iwi/Hapu to ensure the relationship of Maori, their culture and traditions with ancestral land, water, sites, Wahi-tapu and other Taonga, shall be recognised and provided for. The Cultural Impact Assessment is grounded in the world view of Ngatiwai and is informed by traditional environmental knowledge (TEK).
Ngatiwai require consultation to be initiated in the early stages of an application, preferably prior to the application being lodged with council. This avoids added expense involved in altering a project to avoid, remedy or mitigate cultural concerns and ensure enough time for liaison with relative Tangata whenua.

3. Current Projects
Governance Structrues and Co-management arrangements to Support Ngātiwai Mana Moana over our Offshore islands
Health of the Russell forest
Mount Manaia Track upgrade
Northland Kauri Die Back Groups
Refining NZ Crude shipping proposal to dredge parts of the Whangarei Harbour
Te Puni Kokiri Papakainga Hui

4. Governance Structrues and Co-management Arrangements to Support Ngātiwai Mana Moana over our Offshore islands
Settlements emerging from the Treaty of Waitangi process represent significant opportunities for iwi to influence or develop new governance structures and co-management arrangements that support their cultural, ecological and economic aspirations. The key outcome from this project is guidance relating to the governance and management frameworks that support Ngātiwai mana moana over their offshore islands and seascape.
The study will be conducted in two parts: In the first phase we will focus on identifying values and aspirations of the Ngātiwai community relating to their offshore islands and adjacent seascape. Based on this feedback, the second phase will be to propose policy and legislative amendments and changes that best support Ngātiwai’s values and aspirations for their offshore islands and adjacent seascape. We propose this advisory information will support the Ngātiwai treaty settlement team in their design of a cultural redress package that best fits the needs and aspirations of the iwi. 
Methodology: The life of this project extends over 1 July 2016 to 30 June The offshore islands of specific interest are: Hauturu (Little Barrier Island), Aorangi and Tawhiti Rahi (Poor Knights Islands), Taranga and Marotere Islands (Hen and Chicken Islands) and the Mokohinau Islands.
Phase 1 (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) of the study will identify Ngātiwai values and aspirations relevant to each group of islands using the following procedures: (i) a literature review of Ngātiwai-specific mātauranga; (ii) reviewing transcripts from Ngātiwai interview archives; (iii) one-on-one interviews with Ngātiwai kaumātua and community members; (iv) marae-based wananga that have ahikāroa over specific island group(s); and (v) site visits to the respective islands.
Phase 2 (1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017) of the study will determine proposed governance structures and co-management arrangements that best achieve the values and aspirations. Based on these findings principles and processes for policy and legislation will be proposed. These aims will be addressed using the following procedures: (i) a literature review of national and international literature relating to indigenous constitutional law, national legislation, and historic treaty settlements; and (ii) field trips and wananga with marae groups and national and international indigenous constitutional law experts; hui with Ngātiwai community and treaty negotiation team to determine the governance and management structures they would like to see considered within settlement.

5. Health of the Russell forest
We have been consulting with the Department of Conservation Aaron Tautoko and Nigel Miller (DoC) about the health of the Russell forest and questioning what is being done to protect our ngahere.
Recently there has been Media reports about the poor state of health the Russel Forest is in, and that many of the old totara trees in parts of the forest are being killed by opossum grazing on them.
The RMU has been advocating to DOC the need to develop a management plan to help address some of the threats to the Russell forest.
options for pest controls for opossums stoats, rats and wild cats
weed eradication programs (ginger lily, pampas, gorse),
isolating and restricting the spread of disease (Kauri die back)
Also of concern are the proposed activities’ like:
Gold Mining and the possible risk to the forest and water ways
Te Araroa Walking Trail and lack of infilstruture(toilets, kauri die back wash stations) to accomadatae encresing number of visiters to the area
Dane Karapu presented to Nga Marae o Whangaruru 7th Sept (Tuparehuia, Ngaiotonga, Punaruku, Otetau, Oakura, Mokau) some of the concerns we have and possible options to consider, like the use of poisons (1080) to combat these threats and how the use of posions can be managed in a culturally acceptable manner.
The other key issue that needs to be addressed and resolved is the development of a 20 year Management plan for the Russell forest and what that may look like.
For this to happen we iwi Hapu and DoC all need to be on the some page moving forward to make this project work.

6. Mount Manaia Track upgrade
Track upgrade for Mount Manaia was confirmed as staring on Monday 3rd October 2016 and should be completed by the 11th November 2016.
The track will be closed during the upgrade work.
Cultural Induction
As indicated, DOC are keen to support the cultural induction for the workers as requested. 
This will be done on Monday 3rd October 2016

7. Northland Kauri Die Back Groups & Ngatiwai Trust Board
Following on from previous meetings regarding the regional co-ordination of the kauri dieback programme held over the last two years, it was agreed that a six monthly meeting between those involved in the programme would be of great benefit.
The primary purpose for bringing everyone together is to ensure all agencies, organisations, stake holders and iwi in Northland are kept up to date with developments related to the Kauri Dieback programme and to ensure actions that are underway or planned are carried out in a co-ordinated manner maximise and increase efficiencies and outcomes relating to the programme.

8. Refining NZ Crude Shipping Proposal Update
Whangarei Harbour Dredging Hui was held at the Northland Reginal Council office  
Background
The refinery is proposing to bring around half of all crude oil to the refinery on Suezmax ships capable of carrying around 1 million barrels. This class of ship currently visits the refinery periodically and arrives under-loaded. To enable crude shipments of around 1 million barrels, harbour dredging and some channel realignment will be required. The purpose of the hui was to report back to iwi/hapu on progress thus far
Update the current work for the dredging area
Report back on the data regarding the Hydrology of the harbour
Report on Environmental baseline data collected,
Formulate a process for the development of a Cultural Impact Assessment
Options for possible dredging disposal areas
Independent studies
Refining NZ has commissioned a series of technical studies from independent experts to better understand the harbour environment and to identify any potential positive or adverse impacts on the environment from this proposal - and recommend how these may be avoided or mitigated. These technical studies include:
Geomorphology (shape and layout of the harbour floor)
Hydrodynamics (water flows inside the harbour and between the harbour and Bream Bay)
Ecology (how organisms in the harbour relate to their physical surroundings and each other)
Marine Mammals (including whales, dolphins and seals)
Recreation (where the most intensely used areas are, what they are used for)

9. Te Puni Kokiri Papakainga Hui at Tuparehuia

10. Contact Information
For any further information or queries please contact our RMU on the details provided below:
Clive Stone – Manager
Phone: or
Dane Karapu – Assistant Manager
Phone: or