Tairāwhiti Ngutukākā
This project seeks to facilitate the return of threatened Ngutukākā to appropriate landscapes across Te-Ika-a-Maui - the North Island of Aotearoa.
Ngutukākā Festival
Join us for an unforgettable experience, starting with an Endangered Species Garden Tour at Tikapa Marae, led by expert Graeme Atkins, journey through the nation's top Ngutukākā garden, enjoy local kai and an insightful talk at the marae. Tickets include a stay at the Tikapa Campground for a chance to witness the breathtaking first sunrise and much, much more.
Our goal is to replant and regenerate the numbers of this threatened species and to build momentum for ongoing and everlasting protection for Ngutukākā.
Just a few years ago there were less than one hundred ngutukākā plants still growing in the wild. Also known as kakabeak, this plant that is popular in home gardens had has almost disappeared from our natural environment.
Now, thanks to the help of a small and dedicated bunch of passionate people on the East Coast, over 800 seedlings have been planted, and ngutukākā is trying to come back. They have held on through everything our extreme climate conditions can throw at them: wind, rain, hail, flood and cyclone. We need your help to plant, grow and protect more.
The Tairawhiti Ngutukākā project seeks to facilitate the return of threatened ngutukākā to appropriate landscapes across Te-Ika-a-Maui - the North Island of Aotearoa, to ensure the long-term survival of this iconic taonga species.
This will be done by bringing together experts, passion, knowledge, councils, corporations, communities and kaitiaki to share and learn from each other as mahi in the whenua to collect seeds, raise seedlings, plant, protect and build Ngutukākā populations around the rohe.
The established stories and traditions of this taonga species will be shared and we will educate and inform each other on how best to grow, care for and protect Ngutukākā to ensure the long term survival of this iconic species. Further more, we will work to enhance and promote the importance of Maori-lead kaitiakitanga for Ngutukākā and other taonga.
You can read more about how Maori-led kaitiakitanga is helping Tairawhiti Ngutukaka - East Coast Kakabeak thrive here.
National Geographic have also written a beautiful article about the Ngutukākā revival and history here.
This factsheet details what needs doing and how much money it will cost to prevent the extinction of this species.
Thank you to our funders!
