William Anaru

Introduction:

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William Anaru was born in Hamilton and grew up in the Rotorua Lakes region. He currently works as the Operations Manager for Biosecurity and Taiao Restoration at Te Arawa Lakes Trust. In 2018, he led the community catfish initiative, Te Arawa Catfish Killas, which he founded to address the invasive catfish problem in the lakes. Under his leadership, this dedicated team of iwi members and volunteers has successfully mobilized 1,500 individuals, resulting in the removal of over 180,000 catfish from local waters.

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William holds a degree in Marine Biology and Ecology from Victoria University and has gained valuable experience through various roles in Te Puni Kōkiri (TPK), the Department of Conservation, and the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI). His efforts in wetland restoration around Te Arawa have been significant, earning the Te Arawa Catfish Killers recognition, including the prestigious Aotearoa Biosecurity Supreme Award. They are currently collaborating on biocontrol research projects with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and NIWA.

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William and his team in looking for different approaches to Freshwater Pest Management bought together Te Roopu Raranga ki Rotorua - experts in weaving and to develop “uwhi” harakeke mats designed as cost effective alternatives to hessian mats (an approach other Councils were deploying to rid their lakes of invasive weeds) and a way to help support kōura population growth.  The initiative helped to foster local employment as well as a method of benchmarking and measuring the impact of this intervention on the mauri and oranga of their lakes.  Utilising matauranga māori approaches to Freshwater pest management although novel at the time, has been proven to work and needs to be appropriately resourced and expanded upon.

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William’s Wisdom:

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• ‍Engaging youth and incorporating mātauranga Māori: William emphasises the importance of educating children about biosecurity and conservation through community initiatives. He started by teaching kids about the impact of catfish on native species and established a science fair that included mātauranga Māori. “It’s the only one in the country that incorporates mātauranga Māori into it.”

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• ‍Building sustainable community-driven efforts: His vision includes creating sustainable biosecurity programs that provide jobs for local whānau and strengthen community resilience. “The first thing that comes to mind off the bat is better funding and resources going to our whānau,” he emphasises, highlighting the need for increased support to empower Māori communities in conservation.

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• ‍Holistic perspective on all species: Williams’s approach is rooted in respect for all living creatures, even those considered pests, acknowledging them as part of a broader system. “Well, you know, they are living beings; they're a child of papa… But at the same time, we have to remember our own taonga,” balancing the need to protect native species while recognising the framing of pests which could be deemed taonga species to other communities.

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Tauārai - Barriers:

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• ‍Imbalance in Government support: Biosecurity issues that affect native ecosystems often don’t get as much attention or funding as those that impact agriculture. This makes it challenging for communities like Te Arawa to secure the support they need to protect their lakes and waterways.  Wiremu had to proactively find funders, including gatecrashing one hui to find those willing to partner with them and be part of their vision for transformation.

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• ‍Building sustainable community-driven efforts: While temporary jobs were created during events such as Covid,  finding ongoing funding to create stable, long-term work opportunities for local whānau remains a challenge. This makes it tough to build a lasting, community-led workforce for biosecurity.  Designing their own local approach to biosecurity, hiring locals, designing their own process to protect their waterways requires a significant investment of time and capital.  Without support it is more difficult to achieve total eradication.

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• ‍Holistic perspective on all species: It can be difficult to balance cultural respect for all living things with the need to control invasive species. This approach may not always align with more traditional pest control methods, making it harder to get buy-in from some stakeholders.

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• ‍Disparity in funding for biosecurity efforts: The amount of money available for managing pests in Te Arawa is much lower than in other regions, making it hard to sustain long-term efforts. While there was some progress in securing more funds, it wasn’t enough to fully meet the community’s needs.

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• ‍Local leadership and tailored policies: Government decision-making is often centralised, which can make it difficult to get policies that reflect the specific needs of each iwi or community. Encouraging authorities to adopt more flexible and localised approaches can take time and effort.

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William Recommends:

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• ‍Expand education programmes integrating mātauranga Māori: Develop initiatives that educate children and communities about biosecurity, incorporating Māori knowledge and values, such as the Mātauranga Māori Design and Science Fair.

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• ‍Promote iwi-led biosecurity management: Support iwi, hapū, and whānau leadership in local biosecurity and environmental policies, emphasising community-specific approaches.

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• ‍Increase and balance funding for biosecurity efforts: Advocate for equitable funding to ensure regions like Te Arawa receive appropriate resources for sustainable biosecurity management.

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• ‍Establish proactive government partnerships: Collaborate with MPI and other agencies to prioritise native biosecurity threats and ensure equal attention to these as agricultural issues.

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• ‍Develop holistic pest management strategies: Create strategies that balance respect for all species with the protection of native taonga, focusing on humane and ecosystem-based approaches.

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• ‍Invest in community-driven employment opportunities: Expand job creation linked to biosecurity and restoration projects, providing sustainable employment and training for local communities.

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In Summary:

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Te Arawa Lakes work with their collective approach to leadership and local research, demonstrates the critical role of community-driven efforts, especially those that engage youth and integrate mātauranga Māori, in freshwater biosecurity. Addressing disparities in funding, fostering whānau and iwi leadership, and recognising the importance of tailored local approaches are essential to effective freshwater pest management.

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Photo © William Anaru