Te Araroa is on a journey to become a regenerative trail – a journey of collaboration, of partnership, and of shared stewardship.
Regeneration for Te Araroa means:
- Supporting the purposes and aspirations of mana whenua
- Protecting and enhancing biodiversity along the trail corridor
- Improving the trail and its infrastructure whilst minimizing any environmental impacts
- Supporting local communities and businesses and fostering economic opportunities
- Providing a walking experience that enhances the wellbeing of walkers and communities.
We are just starting out on this journey, and there is a lot of work to do. The first step is to define the outcomes we are aiming to achieve (short, medium and long term) and the work that needs to take place to achieve these outcomes (our activities).
To do this we have started an ‘Intervention Logic Model’ (ILM) process. An ILM is a tool that helps us to identify how our activities can create change, assess our effectiveness and communicate this to stakeholders. The ILM will also provide a framework for the evidence we should collect. By developing measures, we can better track and communicate our progress towards desired outcomes and hold ourselves accountable.
As a starting point we held a workshop with the National Trust Board and Management Team. This first draft is the output of that workshop. To develop this further we will engage and involve wider stakeholders and those with expertise in our desired impact areas. The end result will be a living diagram that is regularly reviewed and updated as we learn.
We have identified five key areas where Te Araroa can make an impact: Social, Environmental, Infrastructure, Economic, Wellbeing. While we have broken this document into the five impact areas for ease, we acknowledge that they are all interconnected.
Impact Area: Social
| Long Term Outcomes (10+ years) | Mid Term Outcomes (3+ years) | Short Term Outcomes (0-3 years) |
|---|---|---|
| Te Araroa supports the purposes and aspirations of mana whenua | Increase in sections of Te Araroa that are connected to the purposes and aspirations of mana whenua | Increased understanding of mana whenua aspirations that connect to Te Araroa |
| Mana whenua have increased awareness and positive perception of Te Araroa | Increased and strengthened relationships between Te Araroa and iwi, hapū and whānau along the trail route | |
| Walkers have increased understanding and appreciation of the cultural significance of places along the trail | Increase in story panels along the trail route, developed in partnership with Tangata Whenua and local communities | |
| Increased wellbeing of communities along the trail | Increased positive perception of Te Araroa in communities along the trail | Increased understanding of local communities needs and aspirations relating to Te Araroa |
| Increased understanding of local communities’ needs and aspirations relating to Te Araroa | Increase in section walkers and day walkers | Increased promotion of day walks and short walks along Te Araroa |
Impact Area: Environment
| Long Term Outcomes (10+ years) | Mid Term Outcomes (3+ years) | Short Term Outcomes (0-3 years) |
|---|---|---|
| Increased biodiversity along the trail corridor | Increased planting of native species along the trail corridor | Partnerships formed between Te Araroa and regenerative organisations |
| Reduction in invasive species along the trail corridor | ||
| Environmental impacts of walkers are reduced | ‘Leave No Trace’ and climate mitigation messaging embedded in walker education | |
| Increased participation of walkers and local communities in conservation efforts and sustainable practices | Increased engagement of walkers and local communities in regenerative activities along the trail corridor | Increased volunteering opportunities along the trail route |
| Walkers have increased knowledge of biodiversity and environmental issues through walking Te Araroa | 52 Story Panels developed along the trail route, inspiring people to care for Te Taiao | |
| Walkers have increased pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours as a result of walking Te Araroa | Increase in Te Araroa Whakahou membership |
Impact Area: Infrastructure
| Long Term Outcomes (10+ years) | Mid Term Outcomes (3+ years) | Short Term Outcomes (0-3 years) |
|---|---|---|
| Improved environment along the trail | Reduced carbon footprint of Te Araroa maintenance and development | Increased use of locally sourced, sustainable materials in trail maintenance and development |
| Increased KM of trail off roads (e.g. tracks and unsealed roads) | Reduction in KM of trail along roads | |
| Reduced vegetation damage in process of developing the trail | Increased use of environmentally sensitive trail solutions in trail remediation and development | |
| Improved water quality/cleaner waterways along the track | Reduced loss of sediment from trail into waterways | |
| Reduced contaminants coming from the track | Reduction in use of chemicals in track maintenance (e.g. reducing weed spraying by increasing native plant cover) |
Impact Area: Economic
| Long Term Outcomes (10+ years) | Mid Term Outcomes (3+ years) | Short Term Outcomes (0-3 years) |
|---|---|---|
| Increase in through walkers’ spending in towns along the trail | The economic impact of Te Araroa is visible in trail towns/communities (the value of the walker dollar) | Increase in through walkers spending in towns along the trail |
| Businesses along the trail are recognised as trail partners and experience the benefits | ||
| Increased use of local contractors in trail maintenance and development |
Impact Area: Wellbeing
| Long Term Outcomes (10+ years) | Mid Term Outcomes (3+ years) | Short Term Outcomes (0-3 years) |
|---|---|---|
| Increased wellbeing of Te Araroa walkers | Enhanced wellbeing reported by people who walk Te Araroa | We understand the wellbeing impacts of walking Te Araroa |
| Walker feedback implemented to improve the walking experience |