Central North Island iwi Ngāti Rangi is joining forces with the Department of Conservation on environmental projects that will create more local jobs.
Te Kumete o Paerangi chairwoman Tomairangi Mareikura said the partnership between Ngāti Rangi and the Department of Conservation (DoC) would support the ongoing care of Karioi Rāhui through the Jobs for Nature programme.
It will enable Ruapehu WorX to create pathways to sustainable employment within the rohe to assist in the conservation work required for the ongoing protection and maintenance of Karioi Rāhui (an ecological restoration project on the southern slopes of Mt Ruapehu) and the Whangaehu catchment.
The work will include pest management and weed eradication across nearly 14,000ha, home to pekapeka (bats), kiwi and other native flora and fauna, in a place of cultural significance, wāhi tapu, for Ngāti Rangi.
"This partnership with DoC allows us to continue the legacy of our pāhake in a meaningful way," Mareikura said.