Kaitiakitanga in Action: Ngamotuaroha Trust Protects Motukawao Islands Sanctuary

On the Motukawao Islands in the Hauraki Gulf, the Ngamotuaroha Trust is taking decisive steps to protect an ancestral sanctuary through the exercise of kaitiakitanga. According to a report by Te Ao Māori News on Friday, 28 August 2026, the Trust has issued a formal two-year trespass notice to Anglers Lodge Coromandel Limited following ongoing issues with unauthorized visitor landings and the presence of human waste and equipment on the private Māori land. Trustee Kylie Turoa told Te Ao Māori News that the 11 islands are a vital sanctuary for regenerating native bush and seabird breeding grounds, including gannets. The Trust previously secured $832,100 in Jobs for Nature funding to transform the islands into a pest-free environment. Turoa expressed deep concern that unauthorized access by commercial operators threatens this biodiversity work and disrupts the sacred duty to protect the landscape for future generations. The formal notice, issued on 30 July under the Trespass Act 1980, followed the discovery of advertisements promoting access to the islands. Anglers Lodge responded to the notice by stating they were unaware the islands were restricted, having continued services established by previous owners over 30 years. The company confirmed it would respect the trespass notice and expressed a desire to support the Trust’s conservation efforts. Te Ao Māori News has since shared the new owners' contact details with Turoa to facilitate a constructive path forward. While the Trust does not control the surrounding waters, access to the islands themselves is strictly governed by owners and trustees under Te Ture Whenua Māori Act 1993. This assertion of land rights ensures that the sensitive ecological restoration—aimed at preserving the islands as a taonga for mana whenua—remains protected from further environmental degradation.