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A popular local coastal area is at “an ecological tipping point”, according to an underwater photographer who spent nearly a year freediving along the coastline to document the state of marine life.
Frances Dickinson, of Leigh, was so concerned by what she found in 2022 that it prompted her to initiate a new community marine conservation project focused on Matheson Bay – Te Kohuroa Rewilding Initiative.
She said the bay and its surrounds were facing enormous pressure from the effects of human activity and climate change.
“It’s a huge recreational hotspot for visitors through the summer months, with a lot of traffic and a lot of human pressure from shore diving and scuba schools, and pollution and sediment coming down the awa,” she said.
“There are a lot of pressures in the area and it’s becoming quite unwell.”
During a presentation to Rodney Local Board last month, Dickinson said she and a small steering group were gathering information, engaging with tangata whenua and building connections with individuals, organisations and community groups keen to support an inclusive approach to restoring the marine ecosystem.
“The goal is to work together, partnering with iwi, organisations and local businesses to find a way to restore the environment with a ground-up, mountains-to-sea approach,” she said.
Relationships had already been established with Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust, Omaha Marae, Leigh School, Pest Free Leigh, Leigh Marine Lab, Leigh Penguin Project, Auckland Council, DOC and Restore Rodney East, Dickinson added, and said they were now looking to “fill in some of the gaps”.
“The community is giving us massive support,” she said. “We are working to pull together the right people to deliver the mahi that is needed.
“Momentum is building – we’re finalising our project plan and starting to look for funding to allocate work.”
That work will likely include extensive monitoring of marine life, habitats and invasive species, community education, waste management, work to reduce sediment runoff and seafloor mapping.
“Our goal is to regain the wellbeing of the area – there’s no balance at present – and to have an inclusive outcome for the whole community.”
Dickinson added that the steering group was currently meeting with community and conservation groups to see how they could integrate with existing projects and work programmes. A full website about the rewilding initiative is coming soon, but in the meantime, people can sign up to a mailing list at www.tekohuroarewilding.org
