The Papangaio Te Wharangi Manawatū Estuary Management Plan 2025-2035 was launched March 2025. The launch celebrated the work to prepare the plan by the Estuary community and the proposed actions for the next 10 years. Click on this link to explore the Management Plan.
 

This whole process involved much dedicated work by all concerned and a brief summary resulted in a joint application by Horowhenua District Council and Horizons Regional Council for the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ)  SuperCollab award. Although unsuccessful, it in no way distracts from the considerable effort that is being put in to making this special place even more special. The 90 second presentation that accompanied this application is given via this video link.
 

Bi-monthly meetings were held with representatives from local iwi, District, Regional and Government Agencies, plus numerous local organisations and interested individuals resulting in this comprehensive plan going forward. A major part of this was the formation of sub-groups to plan and implement actions to improve and increase knowledge on this special place. The full plan is comprehensive, but the abridged version of actions and the status of what has been carried out is available here and will be up-dated on a regular basis as additional work is undertaken. Also, newsletters will be produced quarterly and newspaper and magazine articles uploaded that relate to the estuary can be viewed by clicking on the links.

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The local Iwi and hapū histories of Ngāti Rawkawa te au ki te Tonga, Rangitāne o Manawatū and Muaūpoko can be viewed in sections 2, 3 and 4 respectively in the Management Plan.

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7 activity working groups within the plan that implement the protection and restoration of the Estuary. Each group has a Team Lead. The Team Leads are responsible for driving the activity towards the objectives laid out in Appendix 5 of the plan. The Team Leads, which are for the most part volunteers, report on the outcomes and future planning at each 6 monthly meeting. If the Activity Group cannot achieve a task, it will be escalated to the MEMT secretariate to ensure the task is progressed. It may be either justified why it should not proceed; or an alternative approach found. An alternative approach may include sourcing funding for a person to carry out a task if a volunteer is unavailable, or for resources or expertise needed.

 

Flora    (Native plants)

The role of this activity group is to optimise habitat to support abundant populations of at risk

and threatened species at the Estuary. Initial focus is for at least 10 plant types; with at least

two plant types suitable for each of the 3 ecosystems: Estuarine, Xeric and Dune Wetlands.

This group has two areas of work: Dune Gardens – every fortnight, early Sunday mornings.

and secondly those people who work from home germinating seed and on-growing cuttings.

To volunteer:

• If the Dune Gardens work interests you contact team lead Arnim Littek 

• If wanting to help with other plant growing, please call in to the Wildlife Foxton Trust office, 207 Seabury Avenue, Foxton Beach. Monday, Wednesday or Thursday mornings – ask for Nola Fox or email: info@wildlifefoxton.nz 

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Fauna  (Native animals including invertebrates)

The role of this activity group is to optimise habitats to support abundant populations for at

least 4 species that are vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered and located at Papangaio Te Wharangi Manawatū Estuary. This is a wide range with a lot of work needing to be carried out in surveying invertebrates, and other animals as well as supplementing existing bird surveys.

To volunteer:

• Please call in to the Wildlife Foxton Trust office Monday, Wednesday or Thursday mornings – ask for Dave Coles or Vai Gordon, or email: info@wildlifefoxton.nz 

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Pest Plants (Weekly Wednesdays and fortnightly Sunday mornings)

The role of this activity group is to:

1. To reduce or eliminate pest plants to allow native plants to take their place.

2. To ensure that where pest plants are removed suitable native plants are available to replace them before new pest plants take over again.

3. To ensure that once pest plants are eliminated, regular inspections occur to remove any regrowth before it becomes a problem.

Wednesday mornings are in need of physically active people willing and able to chop and weed pest plants. To volunteer:

• Please call in to the Wildlife Foxton Trust office Wednesday mornings – ask for Dave Coles and he can take you down to where they are working. Led by Dr. Bob Hoskins who can be contacted on 063637081 or email: info@wildlifefoxton.nz 

The fortnightly Dune Garden work parties also focus on weed removal, including marram grass, and

some reinstatement of plants damaged by storm and/or motorised machines in the dunes.

• To volunteer: Email Arnim Littek for more details.

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Pest Animals (trapping programme supported by Horizons Regional Council and Predator Free NZ. Administered by Wildlife Foxton Trust)

The role of this activity group is to support a resilient indigenous species population that dominates the area through implementation of the pest animal management plan. Wildlife Foxton Trust has a rapidly growing pest animal trapping programme with already nearly 200 traps in backyards, estuary edges, in the Ramsar site and on adjacent farmland. Work is not for the fainthearted as it requires clearing and cleaning of traps and resetting as well as being able to walk trap lines. This programme is only happening through the strong support of Horizons Regional Council and Predator Free NZ. To volunteer:

• Please call in to the Wildlife Foxton Trust office Wednesday mornings – ask for Suzanne and she can take you through what is involved for getting our trap lines checked regularly or email: traps@wildlifefoxton.nz

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Water Quality

The role of this activity group is to achieve a standard of healthy water quality where native species and people can thrive and prosper. Currently the group is working with Horizons Regional Council to get water quality records in easy-to-understand language for people in the community to understand. They are also looking into the process for notification of contamination events, and the status of the two closed landfills at Foxton and Foxton Beach. To volunteer:

• Email Kath Lane to find out how you can join in.

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Dune Protection

The role of this activity group is to work with other activity groups to identify and implement protection, rehabilitation, maintenance and development for the dunes. Also to plan and implement protection to minimise impacts caused by the various groups that use the dunes. Erosion is also monitored. To volunteer:

• Email Grant Purdie for details.

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Community Engagement

The role of this activity group is to have effective communication channels to all interested parties, including hapū of Ngāti Raukawa to ensure support is garnered and collaboration opportunities available. This includes strong engagement with schools and establishing high National visibility of the estuary as a Ramsar site. Currently this group works alongside Wildlife Foxton Trust volunteers to create a quarterly newsletter which you can read via the link. We are looking for an editor/producer to liaise with all the groups for newsletter content. We are also looking for a social media whiz to promote the estuary and the work of the volunteers.

To help with any aspect of community engagement, email Nola Fox at info@wildlifefoxton.nz

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