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Ahi Kaa Roa to Manaaki Taha Moana

Ahi Kaa Roa to Manaaki Taha Moana: Enhancing Coastal Ecosystems for Iwi

As the Ahi Kaa Roa Research team continue with their work on their case study for Ecosystems Services for Te Iwi o Ngati Tukorehe Trust, Taiao Raukawa the wider Environmental Research Unit for the entire takiwä await the outcomes of funding for the potential major collaborative research project called Manaaki Taha Moana: Enhancing Coastal Ecosystems for Iwi. If successful this project will take place with iwi environmental group Manaaki Taiao Incorporated, Tauranga; the New Zealand Centre for Environmental Economics; Landcare Research Manaaki Whenua; Massey University and Cawthron Marine Centre, Nelson.

The main area of research interest includes the Waiwiri Stream to Waitohu coastal regions and north end of Kapiti. In the near future (with funding bids made to other agencies) the project may encompass Rangitikei waterways to sea and the dune lakes and stream systems north and south of Ötaki.

The Ahi Kaa Roa Project

In the meantime the Ahi Kaa roa project through Te Iwi o Ngäti Tukorehe Trust focuses on collating a sample range of impacts exacted upon ecosystems and cultural values in land and waterways. It continues the methodology and methods used for the terrestrial ecosystems project for Te Häkari Dune wetland proejct, of which Ahi Kaa Roa is a second case study. The project has a strong ecological assessment focus for restoration and draws heavily on local knowledge of place and ongoing Mäori relationships to their cultural, natural and heritage landscapes into the sea.

The Ahi Kaa Roa Assessment project involves a papa kainga research team based in Kuku, Horowhenua, New Zealand working alongside specialists in GIS spatial modeling and geographic positioning systems (GPS). The key research team are currently collating information on how Mäori communities might reunite with local coastal environments in order to exercise kaitiakitanga (environmental guardianship) in modern times, promote sustainability, and strengthen tribal identity through a grounded relationship with Papatüänuku (earth mother),and ngä atua Mäori (environmental entities).

The object of the current Ahi Kaa Roa Assessment project is to ‘map’ cultural, spiritual and natural values in cultural landscape and create a sophisticated visual database or Iwi Management Plans using the latest technology. The team has had initial training with ArcGIS9 and has created examples of what maps could look like. This was exciting work for the range of ecosystem services within terrestrial ecosystems that could interrelate with hapü knowledge and information about place, and people’s place within it.

The research project seeks solutions to the ongoing lack of national and local direction for more robust natural and cultural landscape protection mechanisms in different takiwä.

The general aims of the Ahi Kaa Roa Assessment research collaboration are to:

• Comprehensively and visually reassess the ‘archaeological’, cultural and natural landscape within selected coastal takiwä or regions by gathering and spatially mapping selected cultural landscapes and their ecological, cultural and spiritual values of significance. This investigation extends into the marine environment

• Identify and record sites/areas of significance to iwi and hapü and their associated natural and cultural values using the latest technology. The visual databases aim to protect collated information and outline zones of protection of sensitive areas into associated marine environments, for the benefit of local hapü within the wider community

• Better understand the role that spatial representation and effective communication of values about interrelated cultural or historic landscapes and what the role technology might play in affording mechanisms that actually protect

• Create and enhance more positive outcomes for natural ecosystems within Mäori cultural landscapes.

• Develop an action plan that encompasses:

• Iwi and hapü knowledge, research, data

• Iwi Management Plans in visual mapping form

• Treaty Claims research and processes

• Mataitai interests

• Links to Mäori Land Court databases