2024 Auckland/Northland Showcase: Kaipara Moana Remediation

This catchment restoration programme is aiming to halve sediment flows into the environmentally, culturally and economically significant Kaipara Moana – although its projects generate much wider benefits. 
 
Since forming in 2020, Kaipara Moana Remediation (KMR) has facilitated the planting of about 1.4 million native plants across more than 300ha, and the installation of almost 600km of fencing. They’ve engaged with half of the catchment’s pastoral landowners to create almost 550 sediment reduction plans that cover a whopping 100,000ha. 
 
Local job creation is another tangible benefit of the programme, thanks to a strong focus on growing and developing people. Significant investment has gone into training and mentoring nearly 60 people as field advisors. At the start of 2024, KMR had created an estimated 190,000 hours of new work, particularly in rural areas. 
 
Kaipara Moana is the largest natural harbour in the Southern Hemisphere. Spanning 6,000sqkm across the Auckland and Northland regions, it features more than 8,000km of waterways that flow into the harbour, rare ecosystems, and many precious and endangered native wildlife species. The harbour is also nationally significant as the nursery for much of New Zealand’s snapper.  
 
Increasingly high sediment levels led to the formation of KMR in 2020 – a 10-year programme that is a partnership between the Crown, local government, iwi/hapū and community. 
 
Working with local landowners, KMR has invested more than $13m in restoring wetlands, fencing off rivers and streams, planting trees and supporting the regeneration of forests on erosion-prone land.  
 
Their work is successfully helping valued species to thrive, reducing climate change risks and increasing the area’s resilience to floods, storms and other extreme weather. 
 
From winter 2024, KMR will invest in larger-scale afforestation projects across the landscape – particularly on erosion-prone hillsides. 
 
Collaboration and sharing good practice are central themes. For example, field advisors offer free advice, review progress and encourage landowners to share their actions.