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PR10: Te Kāhui Maunga e Puna Kākano mā te Manu

Contracted Lead Project Manager for Pūniu River Care Inc., delivering the 1 Billion Trees (MPI) PR10 project across 12.3 ha in Waipā. Managed the planting of 74,945 native trees to connect Pirongia Maunga and Maungatautari, leading multi-block restoration, junior PM mentorship, and deep Mana Whenua and landowner engagement

Project Overview & Scope
Contracted as Lead Project Manager to Pūniu River Care Inc. (PRC)—a marae-based incorporated society and registered charity rooted at Mangatoatoa Marae (Ngāti Maniapoto)—for the PR10 Project: Te Kāhui Maunga e Puna Kākano mā te Manu. Funded through the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) 1 Billion Trees fund, the project established an ecological corridor connecting Pirongia Maunga and Maungatautari.

Across five distinct land blocks in the Waipā District, the project successfully planted 74,945 native trees across 12.3 hectares. Land typologies included retired dairy and deer farm land, riparian margins, erosion control zones, wetlands, and the historic Otautahanga Pā.

Mana Whenua Engagement & Community Connection
Cultural integrity and transparency were embedded throughout all stages of delivery:

  • Cultural Blessings & Tikanga: All physical works were preceded by karakia and blessings by Mana Whenua.

  • Marae Relationship Building: Facilitated ongoing updates and engagement with Parawera Marae (Raukawa), Rāwhitiroa Marae (Raukawa), and Pōhara Marae (Ngāti Kōrokikahukura), building transparent relationships between local marae and private landowners.

  • Otautahanga Pā Planting Day: Coordinated with the Chairman of Parawera Marae to host a community planting day, connecting Mana Whenua to their ancestral whenua at Otautahanga Pā.

Capacity Building & Mentorship (Mātauranga Māori in Practice)
A key component of the role was upskilling and mentoring a junior Project Manager in professional landscape and project management practices, including:

  • Contract Administration & Reporting: Site preparation reporting, plant schedule formulation, and MPI progress reporting.

  • Nursery & Logistics Coordination: Aligning plant supply with the PRC nursery, managing stock substitutions, and site clearance scheduling.

  • Programming & Systems: Utilising Gantt charts for project tracking, work scheduling, and coordinating site personnel availability.

Adaptive Management & Practice Learnings

  • Site Expansion: When an original farming block could not supply the full 12 hectares, additional community and landowner partnerships were developed across Waipā to secure the required area.

  • Complex Terrain & Staging: Navigating site clearance on challenging terrain—such as steep slopes with fallen pines at Otautahanga Pā—required adaptive staging over a multi-year timeframe prior to planting.

  • Professional Standards: Demonstrating Mātauranga Māori in practice by balancing strict MPI milestone deadlines with Tikanga Māori and community-led restoration values.