West Harbour’s Te Piringatahi O Te Maungarongo Marae is transforming an underused green space into a thriving food forest. Also called a forest garden, a food forest is a carefully planned mix of edible plants designed to grow together like they would in nature.
Instead of neat rows, fruits, herbs, and vegetables flourish above, below, and all around, creating a vibrant, layered ecosystem. ‘The plan is to create a thriving indigenous-based mara (garden) that combines traditional wisdom with modern recycling and waste minimisation systems,’ says Ethan Smith of the Marae.
Founded in 1994 and affiliated with Ngāpuhi, the Marae has long been a hub for West Auckland’s Māori community. The idea for the food forest grew out of the 2023 floods and cyclone, which highlighted the importance of local food resilience. Funding was key to bringing the vision to life.
Funders, including the Auckland Council, got on board, and the Your West Innovation Fund has contributed $25,000 to kickstart the project. On the first planting day, volunteers from the Marae and the wider community planted the first trees, and they’re already thriving. More planting days and community working bees are planned as the forest layers take shape.
‘This isn’t just about today. It’s about building a stronger community and increasing food resilience,’ Ethan explains. ‘We’re working towards a fairer, greener, and healthier place for everyone.’ The Marae has also developed a Kai Strategy to guide the project and will host workshops on composting, waste reduction, and preserving the harvest.
‘We want people to gain the skills to grow their own kai at home,’ Ethan adds. It’s early days, but success is already visible, not just in the flourishing plants, but in the community networks forming around the project.
Locals eager to get involved can find updates and volunteering opportunities on the Marae’s Facebook page.
