Growing the next generation of kaitiaki – Te Kohuroa Rewilding Initiative
At Te Kohuroa/Mathesons Bay, the Te Kohuroa Rewilding Initiative is showing what can happen when communities come together to restore and reconnect with their marine environment.
The community-led pilot exceeded its initial goals, trialling rewilding methods that allow natural processes to repair damaged ecosystems and building local capacity for active marine restoration. Through partnerships with iwi, community members, organisations and marine specialists, the initiative brought together a diverse kete of knowledge, skills and experience to support restoration efforts and strengthen kaitiakitanga.
The impact extended beyond the restoration work itself, with the initiative identifying an important opportunity to engage young people in marine conservation, providing hands-on experiences that are often difficult to access while students are still in education. This hands-on learning highlighted the value of connecting young people directly with restoration projects and creating opportunities for them to contribute to solutions in their own communities.
The initiative’s achievements have also received wider recognition, with its kelp restoration kaupapa selected as a finalist for the 2025 New Zealand Fisheries Kaitiaki Award. By combining mātauranga Māori, community knowledge and scientific expertise, Te Kohuroa Rewilding Initiative goes beyond supporting the recovery of a precious marine environment by helping grow the next generation of people committed to caring for it.
