The government has announced a $3.5 million investment to restore more than 3000 hectares of Tongariro National Park following two major fires that swept through the area last year.
According to a report by 1News, Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said the funding would be distributed over five years and sourced from the International Visitor Levy (IVL). The recovery plan will prioritise weed control, pest management and biodiversity monitoring.
The fires burned through extensive sections of the Dual World Heritage Site late last year, leaving large areas severely damaged and blackened.
Potaka described Tongariro as "a taonga and a cornerstone of the Ruapehu District economy".
"The fires damaged biodiversity, disrupted recreation, and affected the livelihoods of families and businesses across Ruapehu District," he said, 1News has quoted.
He added that the IVL played a key role in reinvesting visitor revenue back into maintaining and enhancing destinations that underpin local communities and businesses.
According to 1News, Local iwi Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro confirmed it is working alongside the Department of Conservation (DOC) on Maunga Ora, a long-term restoration programme grounded in science, tikanga and mātauranga Māori.
Signs of ecological recovery are already emerging, with native vegetation beginning to regenerate across the fire-affected landscape. However, Potaka cautioned that continued intervention is necessary.
"But without sustained weed control and pest management, including managing deer, that regeneration will be at risk," as quoted by 1News.
He acknowledged the efforts of DOC staff, iwi and the wider Ruapehu community since the fires, saying their collaboration would be "critical" to restoring the mauri of the land.
"Tongariro is our taonga, and restoring its mauri is essential. That’s why the government is working to secure its long-term future," 1News has quoted.
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