Environmental Challenges and Māori Perspectives in Aotearoa

Tāwhaki

A project emphasizing connection to land and sky.

Birdlings Flat

Location affected by rising sea levels.

Tuna heke

Eel migration to spawning grounds.

Lake Forsyth

Opens once or twice yearly based on conditions.

Glass eels

Juvenile eels migrating into freshwater lakes.

Elver stage

Stage when eels migrate over barriers.

Tuna Heke season

Runs January to April's first full moon.

Pacific eel

Eel species found in Samoan wetlands.

Banks Peninsula

Area for native species restoration projects.

Pied Shag

Bird species with declining population post-earthquake.

Mottled Petrel

Locally extinct seabird since the 1960s.

Tuatara

Endemic reptile, regarded as a guardian.

Kaitiaki

Guardian role in Māori culture.

Treaty of Waitangi

Foundational document impacting environmental practices.

Aotearoa

Māori name for New Zealand, meaning 'land of the long white cloud'.

Mātauranga Māori

Māori knowledge systems and traditions.

Mahinga kai

Traditional Māori practices of food gathering.

Peter Buck

Māori medical pioneer and cultural advocate.

Moa

Extinct flightless bird, not significant in Māori diet.

Deer culling

Controversial ecological management practice in New Zealand.

Tutin

Potential natural pesticide from tutu plant.

R programming language

Statistical computing language initiated by Ihaka and Gentleman.

Enderby Island

Site of early Māori settlement archaeology.

Umu

Traditional Māori fire hearth for cooking.

Whenua Hou

Codfish Island, early whaling site in New Zealand.

Sooty Shearwater

A seabird harvested until late 1800s.

Wairewa

Lake Forsyth, meaning 'water lifted up'.

Lake Elevation

Wairewa is 2.5 meters above sea level.

Eel Density

Wairewa has highest eel density in Aotearoa.

Mairehe

Guardian female eel, does not migrate to Tonga.

Algal Blooms

Caused by phosphate cycles, not nitrate cycles.

Phosphate Sources

Comes from septic tanks and household detergents.

Environmental Sensitivity

Wairewa sensitive to phosphate changes and accumulation.

Nutrient Cycling

Limited discharge leads to phosphate accumulation.

Māori Worldview

Belief in interconnectedness of all things.

Political Environmental Issues

Environmental issues are inherently political and complex.

3 Waters Reform

Addresses historical impacts on hydrological resources.

Temporal Scale

Impacts on resources span decades to centuries.

Forest Clearance

Led to soil erosion and river system transformation.

Catchment Transformation

Changes in land use affect water catchments.

Te Pākihi Whakatekateka o Waitaha

Canterbury Plains, once wetlands, now urban and farmland.

Ngā Tahu

Māori iwi challenging crown over freshwater rights.

Banks Peninsula timber

Source of timber for Christchurch's construction.

1856 land sale

Banks Peninsula sold for £200, $20,000NZ today.

Iremia's protest

Opposed forest clearance; cut sawmill belts.

Mana Motuhake

Independence and self-determination for Māori.

Kaitiakitanga

Concept of guardianship over natural resources.

Rūnanga

Local Māori councils responsible for resource decisions.

Lake Wairewa drainage

Issues with draining affecting local water levels.

Te Waihora opening

Carving openings costs $1.2 million annually.

Canal construction

Built in 2016 to manage water levels.

Māori urbanisation

Shift from 83% rural to 83% urban (1936-86).

Treaty Settlement of 1840

Land ownership changes correlated with urbanisation.

Māori land productivity

Much Māori land today is unproductive.

Crown land ownership

28% of NZ land is Crown-owned.

Māori land ownership

Iwi own about 6-7% of NZ land.

Indigenous vegetation

50% on private land held in Māori title.

Māori economy growth

Asset base grew from $69 billion to $126 billion.

High-skill jobs

Māori workers now hold more high-skill positions.

Economic disparity

Continues for Māori households despite positive trends.

Mātauranga Science

Māori knowledge applied to solution-focused processes.

Regenerative dairy farming

Ngāi Tahu Farms exploring sustainable farming practices.

Soil-conserving practices

Methods to maintain soil health and fertility.

Minimising tillage

Reducing soil disturbance during farming.

Cover cropping

Planting crops to protect and enrich soil.

Biodiversity in agriculture

Variety of species in crops and pastures.

Māori horticulture

1% of Māori land used for horticulture.

Kono company

Produces wine and various fruits in Nelson.

Pongakawa significance

Region known for kiwifruit orchards.

Coastal erosion

Loss of coastal land due to natural forces.

Roman Archway

Structure preventing gravel from closing the lake.

Pārua

Eel drains used for water management.

Resource curse

Failure of resource-rich countries to benefit fully.

Jared Diamond's question

Why do some societies succeed or collapse?

PNG population density

Highest in the Pacific region.

PNG biodiversity

Highest global plant diversity found in PNG.

Cavendish banana

Hybrid banana from PNG and Filipino varieties.

Origin of agriculture in PNG

Dates back at least 7000 years.

Doldrums

Ocean areas with high rain and low winds.

La Niña effect

Causes wet conditions in PNG.

El Niño effect

Brings dry conditions to PNG.

Birdlings Flat beach

Width increased from 50m to 170m due to erosion.

Colonial science

Western scientists' limited engagement with local knowledge.

Waigani swamp

More plastic than fish found in this area.

Walker Circulation

Global climate affected by moisture in atmosphere.

Sea Surface Temperatures

Influence wet-dry switch and ocean currents.

Grand Narratives

Overarching stories shaping historical interpretations.

Rapa Nui

Island with significant environmental degradation history.

Environmental Degradation

Destruction of ecosystems due to human activity.

Jared Diamond

Critic of 'noble savage' concept, citing Rapa Nui.

Environmentalist Myth

Belief that pre-industrial societies lived harmoniously.

Bob Johannes

Advocate against 'primitive myth' regarding Pacific islanders.

Ecocide

Destruction of environment by human actions.

Tourism Growth

Rapa Nui's economy reliant on tourism, increased 300%.

Tikopia

Small island known for sustainable agricultural practices.

Sustainability Strategy

Replacement of pigs with tree crops in Tikopia.

Tambu/Tabu/Tapu/Sasi

Traditional closure system for resource management.

Kuwae Eruption

1452 AD event affecting Tikopia's environment.

Owarafa

Eastern Solomon Islands with unique ecological features.

El Niño Correlation

Red lake years linked to El Niño events.