A hapū led native nursery could be set up on unused reserve land north of Katikati to help regenerate forest and reserves in the area. Ngati Te Wai hapū have been granted a licence to occupy 2119m2 of land at Tahawai Reserve for the nursery. The reserve makes up part of the hapū’s whenua.
The Western Bay of Plenty District Council approved the five year licence “in principle” at a meeting on Monday. Council reserves and facilities manager Peter Watson said the nursery was “a good opportunity” and it was using a “backwater” part of the reserve.
The land, at the corner of State Highway 2 and Tanners Point Rd, has been vacant for many years and was previously used for grazing, said Watson’s report to council. Watson told the meeting the council was approached by Riki Nelson of Kaimai Kauri, supported by Ngati Te Wai, about using the land as a native nursery. They wanted to return Tahawai Reserve to a community site and the nursery would be run as a non-profit venture, he said.
Consultation on the licence to occupy Tahawai Reserve will run for a month and Watson said it would begin in the “next couple of weeks”.
Credit: sunlive.co.nz
