his past Saturday, over 30 volunteers gathered along the banks of Ngatoe Stream in Vaima’anga to take part in a successful community planting day. The riparian stream restoration was a collaboration between traditional leaders, land leaseholders, and local NGOs — Muri Environment Care (MEC) and Te Ara o te Akau Inc. — united by a shared goal of improving lagoon health through lowering stream erosion.
In recent years, coral degradation near the mouth of Ngatoe Stream has become an increasing concern. Heavy rainfall events wash excess sediment and nutrients into the lagoon, smothering coral and blocking the sunlight it needs to survive. This runoff also fuels algal blooms that can overwhelm coral colonies, causing long-term damage to the reef ecosystem.
