Muri Environment Care

Muri Environment Care is a Community group whose passion is to preserve and protect our beautiful Muri Lagoon. This area is well over and respected by our local community, who volunteer to undertake projects which will conserve the natural environment in the face of changing climate challenges.

Our vision is of a sustainable Muri environment through the power of the community. Our mission is to guide, promote, network and carry out without prejudice all necessary actions to achieve its vision.

The topography of the Muri district of Rarotonga is unique & complex. The Muri environment for this Project extends (east to west) from the outer reefs defining Blue Pacific Ocean, to the mountain peaks of Te Rua Manga. North to south – from Vaikai Tapere to the Parengaru Stream outflow in Muri Lagoon.

Within this 1.75km reef to ridge hinterland x 3.5km coastline (6 square kilometer, approx) is historic Avananui harbour; the Muri lagoon, the 4 motus inside the lagoon; 241 residential homes; 30 growers agricultural flat lands; extensive Muri sandy beaches and 50 commercial prime accommodation & Villa style tourism complexes; the low hills rising to the peaks of our mountains; streams, wetlands, agricultural plane, and rivers.

And in our wet-season increased flood waters head down our valleys, across our lowlands, eroding stream banks causing extensive flooding. This leaves our lagoon with threatening sediment & nutrient loads. These nutrients have contributed to the growth of Algae Cupressoides in particular, while the sediment is lethal to coral and small lagoon fish , especially while breeding.

The Society is established for the purpose to provide the direction, guidance, information and create public awareness amongst the community in Muri and beyond regarding environmental, economic, social, cultural and religious issues

• To promote sound ideas, principles and practice for the purpose of conservation and sustainable development in the community

while maintaining traditional Cook Islands maori knowledge and practices which are considered beneficial

• To promote the aspirations and enhance the balance and harmony between people in the community and the environment
• To cooperate and network with the similar organisations within the Cook Islands and beyond for the purpose of enhancing the cause of environmental conservation and sustainable development
• To carry out the actions to strengthen its capabilities, institutional arrangements and financial support to enable its work programs