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By Sarah Wilcox
It’s more than 4 years since the $1.2 billion Jobs for Nature programme was set up as part of the COVID-19 recovery package. DOC has managed about 40 percent of the funding, allocated to 225 projects, many of which had a focus on enhancing the biodiversity of freshwater habitat and ecosystems.
Our established Ngā Awa river restoration programme works in Treaty partnership in 12 river catchments across the country, taking a mountains-to-sea approach. The rivers are diverse, ranging from Waipoua in Northland to Taiari (Taieri) in Otago, and reflect the variations of climate, soil type, vegetation and land uses in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The existing partnerships enabled us to support mana whenua (people with authority over the land) and local groups to apply for Jobs for Nature grants with a focus on river restoration in their catchments. A total of $42,918,000 went to freshwater restoration projects in Ngā Awa rivers. This significant investment has supported ‘boots on the ground’ work known to improve the biodiversity of waterways.
As many of the projects are now wrapping up, it’s a good opportunity to celebrate the successes and reflect on what’s been achieved for freshwater and the local river communities. This article focuses on work to date in three Ngā Awa rivers, with selected data used to illustrate progress. All figures were current in January 2025.
Whanganui River, Central North Island
• Number of plants added to riparian or wetland areas: 373,958 and other areas 56,530.
• New fencing: 129,513m, fencing maintained: 10,218m.
• Area treated for weeds: 159.01ha, area treated for pests: 512ha.
• Total employment starts: 158.
• Project completion date: September 2025.
The Mouri Tūroa project, valued at $7.86 million, is a partnership between DOC and Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui with the goal of improving the health and wellbeing of Te Awa Tupua.
Gordon Cribb (Whanganui iwi), project manager, says the project is based around a relationship with the Whanganui River and guided by Tupua te Kawa, the value system that recognises the interdependence of the land and river.
“We’ve kept the project team small to efficiently bring together local suppliers and businesses with landowners to get the work done – 68 contractors and 5 nurseries have been connected to a wide range of landowners via 136 expressions of interest.”
Fencing stock out of wetlands and tributaries was a priority. “It mitigates pollution by reducing the amount of sediment going into waterways, as well as supporting landowners to comply with the stock exclusion regulations. Many of the fenced areas have been planted with natives, with pest control in place to keep the survival rate high.
“The only way we’re going to see an improvement in water quality, biodiversity and ecosystem health is through collective efforts across all landowner types. It’s encouraging to see farmers, hapū, marae and community groups taking ownership of the restoration work.”
Ko Waikanae Te Awa, Kāpiti Coast
• Number of plants added to riparian, lake or wetland areas: 22,300, and other areas: 114,300.
• New fencing: 6,700m.
• Area treated for possums or goats: 2,578ha.
• Total employment starts: 94, people completed formal training: 67.
• Project completion date: December 2024.
Groundtruth Ltd received the $8.5 million Mahi mō te Taiao – Waikanae Jobs for Nature contract, partnering with Te Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai. Kristie Parata of Te Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai was the iwi (tribal) coordinator.
“The model here was to run a practical three-month conservation and land management training programme with groups of six to eight tauira (students). Tauira then moved into teams working as kaitiaki (carers) and kaimahi (trainees) on their awa and whenua, caring for the environment. Ten groups were trained.
“Our kaimahi learned a wide range of skills, including plant propagation, environmental monitoring, fencing, track cutting, and pest control. Many reconnected with their past and heritage, and discovered new life paths and future goals. One said, ‘I thought I was here to save the taiao (nature) but found the taiao was saving me.’”
Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai Charitable Trust has transitioned elements of the project including some kaimahi and the new plant nursery, into an iwi-led environmental business to continue the restoration work in the Waikanae catchment and iwi rohe (area).
Four years have passed, and the river speaks differently now.
The Waikanae flows steady, its waters no longer weighed by the silence of neglect.
We’ve begun to mend its edges, to tend its wounds, but the work is far from finished.
Each effort, a first step on a path that stretches beyond us.
– Excerpt from poem by Dan Dupont, Training and Operations Manager, Groundtruth Ltd
Rakitata (Rangitata) River, Canterbury
Three Jobs for Nature projects have supported restoration work in this river. Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua received $2.75 million for the Arowhenua Native Nursery and $8.7 million for restoration work in the lower river. The Upper Rangitata Gorge Landcare Group was awarded $7.3 million to lead restoration work in the upper river.
Funding for the nursery ended in December 2024 and the business is now transitioning to a commercial wholesale model. Funding for the restoration projects ends in March 2026.
Totals across the projects are as follows:
• Number of plants produced: 616,236.
• Number of plants added to riparian, lake or wetland areas: 257,869.
• New fencing: 124,631m.
• Area treated for weeds: 81,250ha.
• Area treated for rats, mustelids and other animal pests: 122,364ha.
• Area treated for wallabies: 107,935ha.
Brad Edwards, DOC’s Ngā Awa river ranger for the Rakitata River, is proud of how work across the different projects has come together.
“Every project is important, from seed collection and propagation at the nursey, to the crews out preparing the ground and planting, maintenance work while the plants get going, extensive fencing to keep stock out of the riverbed and the landscape-scale pest control.”
As well as trapping sediment and nutrients, the planting is creating a native corridor along the whole river. Established trees will be seed sources for birds to spread into new areas.
A predator control network of more than 3,500 traps has been set up and maintained to protect the threatened birds that nest on the riverbed, including ngutu pare/wrybill and tarapirohe/black-fronted tern. Predator catches for 2024 totalled 2,828 hedgehogs, 368 feral cats and 479 stoats.
“The variety and scale of what’s been achieved through Jobs for Nature is absolutely staggering.”
Measuring changes and benefits
Anyone who works in freshwater knows that making change is a long-term game. It can take years for positive changes, like more fish, improved water quality or a reduction in sediment, to show up. Monitoring has therefore been part of these projects, so future changes can be tracked.
An October 2024 impact report by MartinJenkins1 estimated that the DOC-managed Jobs for Nature projects will deliver a return of $4 for every $1 spent. This figure is based on economic, environmental and wellbeing benefits, such as avoided irrigation loss, improved farm productivity, and reduced youth unemployment, water treatment costs and human health risks.
In its approach to Jobs for Nature, DOC chose to put people first and trust the work would follow. The benefits for people, however, are also significant for freshwater. Many people employed said they had formed a much deeper relationship with the place and the river, which could bring further lasting benefits for nature in the long term.
1. Publications: Jobs 4 Nature (or download PDF: Final-report-2024-Q4-J4N-impact-results-2024.pdf)
This article was first published in the New Zealand Water Review (nzwaterreview.co.nz).