During the late summer and early autumn months, a special congregation of tiny but mighty fish takes place in the Kohuroa awa (stream) and the lifecycle of one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s ‘at risk’ species begins.

When the photography collective ‘Women’s Work’ put out a call for submissions with the theme of (In)visible, Anne Basquin returned to her photographs of the exposed kelp beds of Te Kohuroa Matheson bay, soaked in evening light, to find the perfect submission.

The ocean does not exist in isolation. What happens from the hills and down through the freshwater catchment has huge impacts on the marine environment. So looking at freshwater conservation principles has become a key part of Te Kohuroa Rewilding’s marine restoration goals.

Lennon Kingston is a Duke of Edinburgh's Hillary Award programme candidate and has lived near the sea his whole life. He has been taking part to conservation activities since he was young so when he heard about the challenges his local sea forests were facing, he decided to find a way to help.

A dedicated group of project volunteers designed a composting process to honour the kina that were harvested through our kelp restoration program, by returning their shells to Te Kohuroa’s ecosystem through the wetland replanting programme. Click through to learn how they discovered the perfect method!

Triplefins are one of the most diverse families of fish on Aotearoa New Zealand’s coastal reefs. But because they are small they are often overlooked. If you pause for a moment and look closely around the shallow reefs of Te Kohuroa Matheson Bay, you may notice many vibrant triplefins sitting on the bottom looking back at you.

The inaugural Community Restoration Day at Te Kohuroa highlighted the transformative power of collective action in environmental restoration. Through shared kai, cultural exchange, and collaborative environmental efforts, this event helped community to restore Te Kohuroa’s marine ecosystem and strengthen ties in meaningful and lasting ways. 

Marine reserves have positive impacts on marine life in and outside of their boundaries. The kelp forests they protect are an essential buffer for climate change and provide up to 80% of the earth’s oxygen. But are we doing enough to protect our oceans?