GHD partners with ecosanturary Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne for local environmental restoration project
Global professional services company GHD has joined forces with Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne on their Kia Mouriora te Kaiwharawhara Sanctuary to Sea project to restore the catchment; one of the region’s most precious waterways and of large ecological significance.
Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne is the world’s first fully fenced urban ecosanctuary, with a 500-year vision to connect people with nature and help native wildlife flourish in Wellington and beyond. The 225-hectare ecosanctuary is a ground-breaking conservation project that protects over 40 rare native wildlife species.
The project is a community-focused initiative with a 100-year vision of the ecological restoration of the Kaiwharawhara Stream catchment, restoring the health of the waterways and forest in the area. The catchment is home to various species of native wildlife such as tuna/eel, native fish like kokopu and now the iconic Wellington kākā.
GHD joins other strategic partners on the Sanctuary to Sea project, lead by Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne and mana whenua Taranaki Whānui Te Ūpoko o Te Ika. Other strategic partners include CentrePort, Department of Conservation, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wellington City Council, Wellington Water and Morphum Environmental Ltd.
Siobhan Hartwell, GHD’s Regional General Manager NZ Pacific, says the company is looking forward to working with Zealandia on the project.
We’re committed to solving the world’s biggest challenges in the areas of water, energy and urbanisation. Getting involved in community-led projects like Sanctuary to Sea is not only a great way for us to share our expertise with meaningful projects, but also a great way for our team to get involved in supporting causes they’re passionate about.
Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne Chief Executive Dr Danielle Shanahan says GHD’s engineering, environmental science and technical skills will greatly benefit this project.
“The Kaiwharawhata catchment is an important part of Wellington. It is a place that many of us connect to personally in some way, and Santuary to Sea Kia Mouriora te Kaiwharawhara is about harnessing the local and global energy to care for this place,” says Shanahan. “This project builds upon partnerships to restore the mouri (life force) of the Kaiwharawhara catchment.”
“Sanctuary to Sea is world leading in its scope and ambition. This is reflected in our new partnership with global organisation GHD, who is committed to the catchment’s protection and restoration. Having a global partner like GHD will help to identify opportunities for us to take the project to the next level,” continues Shanahan. “GHD’s engineering capabilities and advice will be invaluable for providing technical support on the issues that this and many urban catchments face including buried landfills, fish migration barriers and increased sedimentation due to slips.”
The Kaiwharawhara catchment is unique in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. It extends from Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne to the Kaiwharawhara estuary. It is the largest stream system and the only catchment in Wellington City with an open estuary on Te Whanganui-a-Tara, the Wellington harbour. The 100-year vision for Kia Mouriora te Kaiwharawhara is that the water quality and biodiversity values of the catchment are restored, and the community are connected to the stream as it travels from the sanctuary to the sea.
Alongside technical support, GHD employees will also be involved in ‘corporate volunteering’; where teams volunteer in on-the-ground activity such as weed removal that forms a key part of ecosystem improvement for the catchment.
The Sanctuary to Sea project stakeholders are committed to supporting resilient ecosystems in the face of constant pressures from human development and climate change.
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About GHD
GHD is a leading professional services company operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Committed to a vision to make water, energy, and communities sustainable for generations to come, GHD delivers advisory, digital, engineering, architecture, environmental and construction solutions to public and private sector clients. Established in 1928 and privately owned by its people, GHD’s network of 12,000+ professionals is connected across 160 offices located on five continents.