Boffa Miskell’s Te Hīhiri cultural experts led engagement with mana whenua and worked closely with our terrestrial and freshwater ecologists to bring together contemporary and traditional knowledge.

This report identified cultural and ecological values of the Arahura River and significant threats to and opportunities for restoration of these values. Hui were held at Arahura Marae with DOC, local government and key mana whenua representatives including rangatahi (youth).

Recommendations within the baseline report prioritised the development and implementation of a baseline cultural health assessment of the Arahura River. The cultural health assessment builds on the objective to achieve the values and aspirations of mana whenua.

In March 2021, Boffa Miskell facilitated the completion of the baseline assessment that was undertaken at sites along the Arahura River that represented a ‘ki uta ki tai’ or ‘source to sea’ philosophy. The State of the Takiwā and Cultural Health Index tools were used to capture cultural information and values of the sites from the river’s source at Whakarewa/Lake Browning, to the sea at Te Tai Poutini/the West Coast. Findings of this cultural health assessment informed other monitoring and restoration projects for DOC to focus on in the future.