The government is investing $3.5 million to help restore more than 3000ha of Tongariro National Park damaged by two major fires last year.
Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said the funding, sourced from the International Visitor Levy (IVL), would be rolled out over five years with a focus on weed control, pest management and biodiversity monitoring.
The fires tore through large parts of the Dual World Heritage Site late last year, causing significant damage and leaving much of the landscape blackened.
Potaka described Tongariro as "a taonga and a cornerstone of the Ruapehu District economy".
"The fires damaged biodiversity, disrupted recreation, and affected the livelihoods of families and businesses across Ruapehu District," he said.
Potaka said the IVL ensured visitor revenue was reinvested into maintaining and improving destinations that supported local business and communities.
Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro said it was working alongside the Department of Conservation (DOC) to deliver Maunga Ora, a long-term restoration plan guided by science, tikanga and mātauranga Māori.
Recovery was already visible on the site, Potaka said, with native plants beginning to push through the charred ground.
"But without sustained weed control and pest management, including managing deer, that regeneration will be at risk."
He acknowledged the DOC staff, local iwi and wider Ruapehu community for their work since the fires, saying their partnership would be "critical" in restoring the mauri of the landscape.
"Tongariro is our taonga and restoring its mauri is essential. That’s why the government is working to secure its long-term future."
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