Ngāti Tūwharetoa has been on these lands for 800-plus years, and has always nurtured and respected the land.
Since the late 1960s our focus has been on forestry but our role as kaitiaki means environmental and cultural requirements have priority over commercial imperatives. These requirements, particularly the importance of protecting the region’s rivers and lakes, have resulted in around a third of the land remaining in bush buffer zones which surround and protect the waterways.
About 24,000 hectares are planted which provides the trust with income, and a place for employment and for people to learn skills. Another important aspect is that the whenua is available for recreation for descendants and their families – to hunt, fish or explore.
