''We are hoping to go and investigate the waterway's natural native fish, shellfish, etc, so basically the state of them now and to identify areas that might be available for rehabilitation,'' he says.
The ultimate aim is to have healthy stocks of kai awa not only as a food source, but also as an indicator of the health of the river.
''Once we have that information, it's about how do we then restore [the habitats] using [existing] wetlands or be creating wetlands to restore that fishery for future use for eating.''
Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority is a co-governance partnership made up of iwi representatives from Tapuika Iwi Authority Trust, Te Kapu Ō Waitaha, Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa Trust, Te Tāhuhu o Tawakeheimoa Trust, Ngāti Whakaue, and council representatives from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana, Rotorua Lakes Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Tauranga City Council.
The goal of the body is the restoration, protection, and enhancement of the environmental, cultural and spiritual health and wellbeing of the Kaituna River.
''One of the areas for Te Maru when it was established was to bring all of those different key agencies around the same table and give everybody responsibilities so we can co-ordinate a lot of these programmes and have common communication among everyone,'' says Dean. ''In that sense, Te Maru is working well.''
Maketū Ongatoro Wetland Society (MOWS) also received $8700 from the Matching Fund and will use it to expand its ecological monitoring activities.
Operations manager Jenn Sheppard says currently the organisation monitors three sites - Maketū Spit, Dotterel Point in Pukehina and Newdicks Beach.
''We do monitoring of birds and plants, reptiles and invertebrates,'' she says.
The additional funding will allow monitoring to take place at another site it manages, Waihī Harbour Wetland as well as Te Huauri o Te Kawa (formerly By de Ley Wetland), Te Paika near Kaituna Cut and Papahikahwai Island.
Jenn says endangered Australasian bittern and spotless crake have been spotted at Te Huauri o Te Kaw, ''so it would be good to quantify their abundance''.
There is a possibility that the endangered banded dotterel might nest at Te Paika and Papahikahwai Island.
She says it may be that this will be the first time the new areas have been monitored.
''So that [information] will probably be used as more of a baseline to see, going forward, what different restoration activities are needed.
''We do pest plant control and pest control so we will be able to see how that is reducing predator numbers and consequently increasing bird numbers. We'll be able to measure the success of our restoration programme.''
Other local recipients:
■ Friends of Te Puke Memorial Pool: Funded $3000 to add a shade structure for the wellbeing of pool users and employees.
■ Pukehina Community Charitable Trust ($1895): To help pay operational, entertainment and safety costs for its Autorama event that raises money for Pukehina Surf rescue and Pukehina Volunteer Fire Brigade.
■ Pukehina Residents and Ratepayers Association ($1500): Funding to assist with the establishment of a mara kai (food garden) and orchard.
■ Te Puke Community Menz Shed Trust ($3500): To pay for replacing worn equipment and consumables.
■ Te Puke branch of the New Zealand Genealogists Society ($2000): To pay for access to official records and for crosses to be installed on the graves of returned service people whose service is not marked on their graves.
■ Te Puke Gymsport ($2455): Funding will support their coach education programme.
■ Te Puke Knit and Natter Group ($500). The group knits clothing, toys and blankets for premature and full term babies in various hospitals. Funding will buy wool supplies and pay courier fees.
■ Te Puke War Memorial Hall Society ($1500): For the purchase of basic equipment will enable the hall to cater for more users.
■ Te Ranga School/Te Ranga Public Hall ($5500): Contribute to Te Ranga School and Te Ranga Public Hall's common area carpark being contoured, sealed and painted.
■ Kotukutuku Gully Care Group ($6000): Funding is required for weed control.
■ Wai Kōkopu ($9734): Wai Kōkopu is a community-led programme of action to replenish and revitalise the health of the estuary, Te Waihī. Funding will go towards paying for plants to be planted along the Te Waihī estuary walkway project.
