OUR AWA
From Lake Ōmāpere to the Hokianga Harbour
The Utakura Awa winds through our valley, connecting whenua, whānau, ecosystems and communities on its journey towards the Hokianga Harbour.
For generations the awa has been part of the life of Utakura. Its health is connected to the health of the whenua around it and to the people, plants and wildlife that depend upon it.
Today, parts of the awa face environmental pressures that require long-term, coordinated restoration. UEG is working to better understand those pressures, identify priority areas and build a restoration programme that supports the awa from its upper reaches through to the harbour.
THE JOURNEY OF OUR AWA
ONE AWA ONE CONNECTED JOURNEY
LAKE ŌMĀPERE💧
Upper Catchment
The beginning of our whole-of-catchment journey, where the health of the water and surrounding whenua influences everything downstream.
UTAKURA AWA🌿
Our Awa
Through the valley, the awa supports native habitat, whenua and community. This is where UEG is developing its future restoration programme and identifying priority areas for action.
HOKIANGA HARBOUR 🌊
Ki uta ki tai
The journey continues to the Hokianga, reminding us that restoring the Utakura Awa contributes to the wellbeing of the wider harbour and connected ecosystems.
THE HEALTH OF OUR AWA
🌳 WILLOWS & WEEDS
Managing invasive vegetation and identifying where removal and native restoration can improve the health and resilience of the awa.
💧 WATER HEALTH
Building relationships and environmental knowledge to better understand water health, aquatic life and changes within the awa over time.
🌱 RIPARIAN RESTORATION
Restoring appropriate native vegetation along the awa to support habitat, strengthen banks and improve the surrounding environment.
🐟 BIODIVERSITY & HABITAT
Learning more about the species and habitats supported by the awa and identifying opportunities to protect and enhance them.
OUR RESTORATION JOURNEY
From understanding our awa to restoring it.
UEG is building a long-term restoration programme for the Utakura Awa and surrounding catchment.
Our approach begins with understanding the awa — gathering environmental information, listening to local knowledge and working with specialists and partners to identify priorities.
From there, we can plan practical restoration, undertake work in priority areas, involve our community and monitor the results over time.
This is not a one-off project. It is a long-term commitment to our awa.