For Iwi

Support for mana whenua.

Nā tō rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.

With your food basket and my food basket, the people will thrive.

We understand that Te Karamū holds generations of knowledge, connection and relationships. We hope to bring our different rourou together, working alongside mana whenua and local communities to weave mātauranga, local knowledge and science into the work of caring for our catchment.

What we do for iwi & mana whenua

We're a locally led network across the 14 sub-catchments of Te Karamū. For iwi and mana whenua, that means creating meaningful opportunities to shape what happens across the catchment.

We work to build relationships early, so mātauranga and local knowledge can help shape projects from the beginning. We connect mana whenua with landowners, community groups, technical experts and funding opportunities, and support practical projects that reflect the values and aspirations of the people connected to this place.

We recognise that every project and relationship is different. Our role is to listen, create space for participation, and support mana whenua involvement in ways that are useful and appropriate.

Te Karamū is a place with history

The Te Karamū whenua has changed over time.

As we look to the future, there is an opportunity to recognise that history and the knowledge that comes with it. We want to work alongside mana whenua to support the health of Te Karamū, bring mātauranga into the work we do, and create positive change for the whenua and the people connected to it.

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Support available to you

Join Our Free membership

  • Help finding and applying for funding

    We know which funds are open, what they'll cover and what a strong application looks like. We'll help you write it, and we'll tell you honestly if your project isn't a fit for a particular fund.

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  • Co-investment in the work

    On many projects we co-invest alongside funders and landowners, which lowers the share you carry. The Waipuna wetland, for example, was funded 50% by Hawke's Bay Regional Council and 50% by the Collective

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  • Technical and ecological advice

    Access to council ecologists and technical experts on planting lists, wetland design, fencing setbacks and what will actually survive on your site.

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  • Field days and farmer-led workshops

    On real properties, with the people who did the work. What it cost, what went wrong, what they'd do differently.

    Local businesses

  • Monitoring and data for your place

    Water quality results, eDNA, bird and trap records, so you can see whether what you're doing is working rather than hoping it is.

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  • Connection to your local group

    Every sub-catchment has its own group and priorities. Your neighbours may already be working on the same stream.

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Have a chat.

Tell us what you're thinking about, or what's been bugging you about a paddock for years. No commitment, no cost.

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How it works

We help you plan it.

We bring in the technical advice, work out a realistic scope and identify the funding that fits.

We help you do it.

Applications, contractors, planting days, volunteers and monitoring once it's in. You're not left holding it alone.

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Recent Projects

Recent work with landowners

Freshwater & Wetlands

Waipuna Wetland Restoration, Havelock North

Learn more
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Predator Free Te Karamū

Karamū Trapping Collective

Learn more
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Local Businesses

Irongate Collective

Learn more
View all recent projects
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Questions landowners ask us

  • Nothing. Membership is free, and it gives you access to resources, funding opportunities, workshops and field-based learning.

  • No. Plenty of members join to keep an eye on what's happening and come to the odd field day. You take part in what's useful to you.

  • It depends on the work. Our own funding comes through MPI, grants, sponsorship and project co-funding, and we also help members access regional and national funds for fencing, planting, wetlands and biodiversity. The best first step is a conversation about what you want to do.

  • That varies by project and fund. On some projects we co-invest directly. At Waipuna, for example, the work was funded 50% by Hawke's Bay Regional Council and 50% by the Collective, with in-kind labour from the community on top.

  • Yes. A catchment is the sum of a lot of small actions, and small sites are often where the quickest gains are. Lifestyle blocks, one wet corner and a single stream margin all count.

Get in Touch
Join Free membership

Working together with

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Join the Collective

Membership connects you to funding, workshops, field days and people doing the same work.

Become a member
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