Manaaki Taha Moana: Enhancing Coastal Ecosystems for Iwi

Mon 1 Mar 2010: Manaaki Taha Moana: Enhancing Coastal Ecosystems for Iwi
Dr Huhana Smith

Expert Content Management System

Manaaki Taha Moana: Enhancing Coastal Ecosystems for Iwi
Title of the Project: Manaaki Taha Moana: Enhancing Coastal Ecosystems for Iwi
Funded by: Foundation for Research and Technology (FRST) for 6 years from October 2009 to end September 2015
Amount: $1.1million (incl GST) per year, plus co-funding from various organisations
Parties involved:

Ecological Economics Research Centre New Zealand (EERNZ) at Massey University (recent name change from New Zealand Centre for Ecological Economics NZCEE)
Taiao Raukawa (Environmental Research Unit for Ngāti Raukawa ki te tonga)
Manaaki Taiao Incorporated and iwi Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi in Tauranga Moana, Bay of Plenty
Wakadigital, Tauranga
Cawthron Institute, Nelson

There is also extensive and enthusiastic support from many central and local government agencies, as well as from iwi authorities, hapū and kaumatua.

Aim of the Research:

To restore and enhance coastal ecosystems and their services of importance to iwi, through a better knowledge of these ecosystems and the degradation processes that affect them.

More details about what methods we will use and their implementation

This programme builds upon the research centre’s previous research with Ngāti Raukawa in the lower north island, Ngä Märamatanga-ā-papa (Ecosystem Services Benefits in Terrestrial Ecosystems for Iwi (MAUX 0502) 2004-2009.

The teams will utilise western science and Mātauranga Māori knowledge, as well as ‘mediated modelling’ tools and processes, to assist iwi/hapū to evaluate and define preferred options for enhancing/restoring coastal ecosystems.

This evaluation of options will also be assisted by the development of innovative IT and decision support tools (simulation modelling, interactive mapping, 3D depiction, real-time monitoring) by Wakadigital Ltd, who based in Tauranga. They are working with new technologies including devices for measuring contaminants in water.

Action Plans for implementing active restoration for prioritized projects in the region, will be produced for the case study region, in order to pro-actively improve coastal ecosystems in each area within the case study region.

The research team will work closely with iwi/hapū in the case study regions to develop tools and approaches to facilitate the uptake of this knowledge and its practical implementation. Mechanisms will also be put in place to facilitate uptake amongst other iwi throughout New Zealand.

Manaaki Taha Moana: Enhancing Coastal Ecosystems for Iwi

Professor Murray Patterson is the Research Science Leader at Massey University for this large, collaborative programme. Dr Huhana Smith is Research Leader Mäori, working closely with her team of Mäori researchers Aroha Spinks, Tipene Hoskins and Peter Sciascia.

Derrylea Hardy, Research Officer at Ecological Economics Research centre New Zealand" (EERNZ) is the Project Manager, and Associate Professor Marjan van den Belt, Director of EERNZ, will also contribute her ‘mediated modelling’ expertise. The project has the additional expertise of Jim Sinner and Scott Williamson of Cawthron Institute, Nelson as well as other ecological marine expertise from their team.

All teams will utilise the expertise of world-renown ecological economist from the Gund Institute at the University of Maryland, Distinguished Visiting Professor at Massey, Robert Costanza.

This 6-year programme builds upon EERNZ’s previous research with Ngāti Raukawa ki te tonga, in particular in the lower north island the ‘Ecosystem Services Benefits in Terrestrial Ecosystems for iwi’ project 2004-2009.
In the newly funded research, we will continue our work with iwi/hapü authorities from Hokio to Waitohu, including Ngatokowaru, Kikopiri, Tukorehe and Te Iwi o Ngāti Tukorehe Trust, Tahamata Incorporation, Wehiwehi, Ransfield Corporation, and Kapumanawhiti ki Otaki.

We are now also collaborating with iwi in Bay of Plenty through Manaaki Taiao Incorporated; WakaDigital; and other entities such as the Cawthron Institute in Nelson. The project has the additional expertise of Kelly Solomon and Aaron Jim Sinner and Scott Williamson of Cawthron Institute, Nelson as well as other ecological marine expertise from their team.

There is also extensive and enthusiastic support for this programme from many central and local government agencies as well as from iwi authorities, hapū and kaumatua.

The aim of the research is:

To restore and enhance coastal ecosystems and their services of importance to iwi, through a better knowledge of these ecosystems and the degradation processes that affect them.
To utilise western science and Mātauranga Māori knowledge, as well as ‘mediated modelling’ tools and processes, to assist iwi/hapū to evaluate and define preferred options for enhancing/restoring coastal ecosystems.
To use this evaluation of options, assisted by the development of innovative IT and decision support tools, including simulation modelling, interactive mapping, 3D depiction, and real-time monitoring) by Wakadigital Ltd, Tauranga.

Action Plans with implementable projects will be produced for improving coastal ecosystems within cultural landscape in each area.
The research team will work closely with other iwi/hapū representatives in the case study regions to develop a range of tools using technology, visual aids and approaches to facilitate the uptake of this knowledge and its practical implementation. Mechanisms will also be put in place to facilitate uptake amongst other iwi throughout New Zealand.

Manaaki Taha Moana: Enhancing Coastal Ecosystems for Iwi
Hokio Beach to Waitohu Stream, enhancing the coastal margins: Horowhenua Case Study

Area: Hokio coastal settlement to Waitohu Stream, Otaki

Key Iwi/Hapü: Ngäti Pareraukawa, (Hokio,) Muaupoko
Ngäti Kikopiri, (Öhau, Muhunoa) Ngäti Hikitanga and Ngäti Kahoro
Te Mateawa, Ngäti Kapumanawawhiti ki Kuku, Ngäti Te Rangitäwhia, hapü of Ngäti Tukorehe (Kuku)
Te Kotahitanga o Ngäti Wehiwehi including hapü, Ngäti Te Rangitäwhia and Tamatatai (Waikawa and Manakau),
Ngäti Kapumanawawhiti ki Ötaki (Waitohu)

Threats - Social/Cultural:

Loss of mätauranga or knowledge about coastal waterways, stream, rivers, dune wetlands to marine environments and the health of these systems and resources as key informants in generations pass away
Associated decline in the mätauranga or knowledge, observations and experience of place that results in current generations becoming increasingly separated from once intricate relationships to ancestral, coastal places into the sea.
Concerns for kaumatua, resource users and interested others who have observed, sensed, felt and experienced the decline in environmental integrity of ancestral and coastal landscape into the sea
Concerns for once ecologically important and resource rich areas as well as associated original occupation and harvest areas, special burial areas and related spiritual entities in natural waterways and other sites adjacent to the sea.
Loss of inter-generational protocols observed to protect special coastal waterways, dune wetlands and stream systems and resources into the sea.
The convoluted resource management consents process that confounds committees and individuals alike.
Associated capacity issues for better resource management processes for the coast and the marine. This indicates shortfalls in capability that can inhibit progress and protection of areas, especially those areas no longer in Mäori land tenure.

Some Ecological Problems:

Within forty years, intensified agricultural activities, and local and regional authorities’ modifications to natural water way systems have combined to create tenuous balances between the cultural and spiritual needs of hapü and iwi as shareholders of Mäori lands and waterways to sea, the economic operations of tribally based, large-scale, dairying operations or pine forestry blocks, and the ecological integrity of the coastal region
Indigenous resources or local delicacies have disappeared from coastal waterways, streams, lagoons and dune wetlands once considered vital to the tribe. By the 1990’s, last vestiges of other natural food resources had deteriorated so rapidly from ongoing inappropriate or unsustainable actions, that they are now virtually non-existent.
Worries about white baiting in unsuitable areas or non-compliant areas, and before season, impacts on breeding stocks of inanga or whitebait for others.
Concerns have extended to those avoiding fees at public refuse tips, and using for example, the Öhau River beach environs to sea as private dumping grounds for inorganic or domestic refuse. Such activities suggest a disregard for natural integrity and a shift away from the kawa or sustainable resource use protocols once strictly observed and unchanged.
Wider environmental threats to waterways to sea include the direct effects of reactive nitrogen on ecosystems. Acidification and de-oxygenation effects on forest, soils and fresh water systems; eutrophication in lakes and coastal ecosystems to sea; nitrogen saturated soils; biodiversity losses; invasions of nitrogen loving weeds and changes in abundance of beneficial soil organisms, all contribute to ecological decline and destruction of mauri in the marine environment.
Unsafe levels of faecal or e-coli contamination from non-point source pollution (due mainly to ineffective farm nutrient management regimes) impact on coastal waterways, dune wetland systems, hydrological health of subsurface waterways, and impacts on the estuarine and marine environments.
Groundwater abstraction for farming around dune wetlands and lakes increases their vulnerability to groundwater pollution in their rainfall recharge areas.
Non-point source pollution from farming systems still remains the most significant risk to the coastal environment and to the future of coastal farming itself. Nutrient management, faecal contamination from animals, the fresh water quality decline with flows into the marine region, requires significant and immediate focus.
Increased pressures from proposed coastal peri-urban developments from Hokio to Waikawa will impact on sensitive coastal dune systems and dune wetland areas, their special qualities, as well as archaeological information and areas of spiritual significance within cultural landscape. This is coupled with ongoing and unsustainable impacts development has on coastal processes into the marine environments.
Threats to terrestrial biological diversity on the coastal margins include increased access to the beach environs, which leads to greater numbers of larger, recreational 4 x 4 vehicles or trail bikes. These vehicles mount risks to oystercatcher and black-backed gulls’ nests in the foreshore sand dune systems. Such increased vehicular access compresses the wet inter-tidal sands, which put toheroa [Amphidesma ventricosum], tuatua or kahitua [Amphidesma subtriangulatum] beds in the foreshore region and kÿkota [Amphidesma australe or Paphies novaezealandiae] under pressure.
Heavy 4 x 4 vehicles contribute to an over-extraction of shellfish and the lighting of fires for domestic or inorganic rubbish disposal.
Increased pressures from vehicular access also impacts on native covers like Mäori or native musk [Mimulas repens] and ureure or glasswort [Salicornia quinqueflora], carpets of sea primrose or shore pimpernel [Samolus repens]. Beyond the river estuary into the fore dunes, remnant stands of stabilisers like pïngao [Desmoschoenus spiralis] and spinifex [Coprosma acerose], tauhinu [Cassinia letophylla], and shore bindweed [Calystegia soldanella] have survived amongst the marram grass.
Other plants such as rengarenga as climbing New Zealand spinach [Tetragonia trgyna] help clothe the littoral dunes. These plants compete with pervasive marram grass.
Increased erosion of dune areas is due to the prevailing north-westerly winds trapping sand around the base of marram grass, which builds up steep sand dunes that inevitably erode and collapse.

For any further enquiries about this project please do not hesitate to contact me.

Dr Huhana Smith
Research Leader Mäori
Manaaki Taha Moana: Enhancing Coastal Ecosystems for Mäori
658 State Highway One
RD 20
Kuku (via Levin)

00 64 6 3626360 (Home Office)
021 244 8711
makareta@me.com