Bay of Plenty Regional Council, alongside representatives from Ngāti Awa, Sawmill Workers Against Poisons (SWAP) and the community came together on Saturday to celebrate the restoration of the Kopeopeo Canal, and the successful use of innovative natural bioremediation techniques to heal contaminated sediment from the canal.

The event acknowledged the collaborative effort between Ngāti Awa, SWAP, community leaders, and the regional council, whose shared vision has guided one of the region’s most significant environmental restorations.

Between the 1950s and 1980s, the canal was contaminated by timber treatment discharges containing dioxins. Since 2015, more than 35,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediment has been safely contained and treated using natural bioremediation – a process that uses natural fungi, bacteria and plants to neutralise toxins and restore the environment.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council general manager integrated catchments Chris Ingle said the project was an example of partnership in environmental restoration.

“This work demonstrates how science and mātauranga Māori can come together to heal our environment. The open day was an opportunity to celebrate that collective effort and look to the future of this site with optimism.”

Visitors were able to see and learn about the ongoing monitoring work, and the natural processes that are continuing to restore the mauri of the Kopeopeo Canal and its surrounding environment.