The Maniapoto Maori Trust Board and local councils in Waikato and King Country have signed an agreement to jointly manage the Waipa River.
The agreement signed in Te Kuiti on Wednesday comes under a Crown-iwi co-management plan for restoring the quality and integrity of the Waikato and Waipa rivers.
The agreement allows for Ngati Maniapoto to have input into resource management plans and applications and work with councils on environmental monitoring of the Waipa River and its tributaries.
The councils involved are Waikato Regional Council and Waipa, Waikato, Otorohanga, Waitomo district councils.