<p style="text-align:justify">On Friday the 2<sup>nd</sup> of September, members of Whakauae participated in a community planting day on the banks of the Pourewa Stream at R&#257;t&#257;. The planting day officially recognised the launch of the Ng&#257; Puna Rau Rangit&#299;kei Project, aimed at preserving and enhancing the mauri of the Rangit&#299;kei River and its catchment. The project seeks to engage communities with the Rangit&#299;kei Catchment and undertake waterway restoration works in a number of areas. In the area around the Pourewa Stream the focus is on removing willows, removing stock from waterways, and planting native trees.</p>

<p style="text-align:justify"><img alt="" src="/uploads/images/Planting1.jpg" style="float:right; height:336px; margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px; width:250px" />Following a p&#333;whiri at R&#257;t&#257; Marae at for project representatives, local government officials and community stakeholders associated with Ng&#257; Puna Rau Rangit&#299;kei, the group made their way down to the Pourewa Stream for an official blessing and a planting session. Members of Ng&#257; Pae o Rangit&#299;kei, the Ministry for the Environment, the Department of Conservation, Horizons Regional Council, R&#257;ngit&#299;kei District Council, local landowners, and community members were joined by children from Hunterville School, Rangitikei MP Ian McKelvie, Horizons Councillor Gordon McKellar, and R&#257;ngit&#299;kei District Council staff to help plant 1200 native trees during the day&rsquo;s celebration.</p>

<p><span style="font-size:12px"><em>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Dr Heather Gifford demonstrates her green fingers</em></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p style="text-align:justify">Neville Lomax, the Chair of Te R&#363;nanga o Ng&#257;ti Hauiti observed that the planting of native trees and shrubs along tributaries of the Rangit&#299;kei, such as the Pourewa Stream, will go a long way to satisfying the wishes of all people with an interest in the future of the waterways who want to see the remediation of damage that has been done to our rivers in recent times.</p>

<p><img alt="" src="/uploads/images/Planting2.jpg" style="height:375px; width:650px" /></p>

<p><span style="font-size:12px"><em>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;R&#363;nanga Chair, Nevile Lomax joins MP Ian McKelvie,&nbsp;Horizons Councillor Gordon McKellar in planting the first trees</em></span></p>

<p style="text-align:justify">The project has been made possible by a grant from Te Mana o Te Wai national funding, as well as funding from Horizons Regional Council and the Rangit&#299;kei District Council. The purpose of the Te Mana o Te Wai Fund is to help M&#257;ori improve the water quality of freshwater bodies that are of importance to them by:</p>

<ul>
	<li style="text-align:justify">supporting iwi/ hap&#363; to play an active part in improving the water quality of their local freshwater bodies</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify"><img alt="" src="/uploads/images/Planting3.jpg" style="float:right; height:312px; margin-left:10px; margin-right:10px; width:250px" />enabling iwi/ hap&#363; to actively participate in managing their local freshwater bodies</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">developing partnerships and working in collaboration with others</li>
	<li style="text-align:justify">assisting iwi/ hap&#363; and the wider community recognise the importance of fresh water in supporting a healthy ecosystem, including supporting human health.</li>
</ul>

<p style="text-align:justify">Te Mana o Te Wai reflects the recognition of fresh water as a natural resource whose health is integral to the social, cultural, economic and environmental well-being of communities. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p style="margin-left:216.0pt">&nbsp;</p>

<p style="margin-left:216pt"><em>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <span style="font-size:12px">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Dr Gifford and MP Ian McKelvie</span></em></p>

<p style="margin-left:216pt">&nbsp;</p>
