Project Parore
Project Parore
Uretara Estuary Managers (UEM) was formed in 2004 to protect the habitat and birdlife around our estuary. Our scope of work expanded rapidly after gaining Sustainable Management funding in 2006 for catchment restoration projects, followed by other grants in 2008 – 2011 to extend the boundaries of that work.
Formed 10 years ago initially to encourage birdlife and control weeds around the foreshore of the Uretara Estuary Katikati. Public requests persuaded us to begin clearing the ever-expanding mangroves, It soon became apparent that the major problem facing the estuary was the silt coming down from the catchment so we began working with landowners to rehabilitate and fence the stream banks. So now our volunteers are involved in work from the Kaimais to the sea.
After receiving core funding for the ‘Katikati Hills to Ocean (H20) Improvement Project’ from Ministry for Environment’s (MFE) Freshwater Improvement Fund in 2018, UEM have been working with Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and local landowners to create comprehensive management plans that address a range of water quality and biodiversity issues. The vision of a thriving northern Tauranga Harbour, with habitat restoration and sustainable land use practice being embraced by catchment communities from Aongatete to Athenree, was behind a successful application to MFE’s Jobs for Nature fund in 2021.
UEM became a charitable trust in 2006 and works closely with and other groups and organisations to achieve common goals. In the second half of 2020, UEM implemented a fully updated constitution and the board agreed to adopt Project Parore as the new name for the activities of the society.
