research project

He whakaneke a te hapori o Te Hāpua ki tētahi ara haumaru

Relocating Te Hāpua to safety as sea levels rise The relocation of marae communities at threat from rising seas is a deeply complex issue. The Far North coastal community of Te Hāpua is vulnerable to rising sea levels. We stand to lose significant taonga, including our wāhi tapu, our whare karakia, our whare kōhanga reo... Read more »...

research project

Eating with my Tuupuna

Climate resilience for Waikato hauanga kai Our traditional kai plays a critical role in our cultural health and well-being. Despite immense pressure, the Waikato River and Manukau Harbour systems have long provided a source of health, economic and cultural sustenance to the people of Te Puuaha. Our research moemoea was to enhance our cultural, environmental,... Read more »...

research project

Moutoa Island Restoration

Tamariki and rangatahi working with elders to restore the environmental and legal rights of Moutoa Island in a changing climate Te Morehu Whenua is a rangatahi- and tamariki-led environmental group of the hapū of Rānana Marae. Moutoa Island is located at Rānana, in the middle reaches of the Whanganui River. It is considered a wāhi... Read more »...

research project

Kōhanga pēpi kōura

Creating pēpi kōura nurseries to protect against a changing climate This action research project supported the restoration of our taonga species, kōura (red rock lobster or crayfish), in a changing climate. Existing research on kōura has been primarily focussed on commercial fisheries, which are governed and assessed by western science. In contrast, our research sought... Read more »...

research project

Are the kina still fat when pōhutukawa bloom?

For generations, Ngāti Whakahemo have used the whakataukī of the flowering pōhutukawa as a tohu to tell us when the kina are ripe and ready to harvest at Motunau (Plate Island) and on its surrounding reefs. Unfortunately, kaumātua and kaitiaki have observed that the way the pōhutukawa blossoms (when, for how long, and how intensely)... Read more »...

research project

Kai ora: Restoring local Māori food systems by restoring power to marae

Alongside three marae of the Southern Kaipara this research aimed to explore local food systems and food sovereignty as a means of decolonial climate action. As researchers and public health advisors our primary role is to support the return of resources and power from western institutions back to whānau and to marae.  This research aimed... Read more »...

research project

Higher carbon prices: Impacts on farming and forestry whānau

Higher carbon prices are likely to lead to permanent carbon forests and a reduction of mahi on farms and in production forests. This will almost certainly impact whānau working in farming and forestry. This project was designed to ensure that our hāpori understands and is prepared for the risks and opportunities posed by permanent forests.... Read more »...

research project

Hei Matapihi ki te Ao: Toi te Moana, Toi te Whenua, Toitū te Mokopuna

Intrinsic and effective climate leadership This research project tapped into three sources of mātauranga to uncover our innate climate knowledge and climate leadership. We aimed to reignite the natural strengths and capability of our collective ahi kā to respond to the multiple threats Matapihi is facing as a result of climate change. Matapihi is in... Read more »...

research project

Te Ara o Raukawa Moana

Active kaitiakitanga in response to climate change Ko Te Rauparaha te rangatira o Kāpiti me Te Moana-a-Raukawa Raukawa Moana, the Cook Strait, is of the highest cultural and spiritual significance to Ngāti Toa Rangatira. Our seafaring and waka histories and traditions enabled travel across the sea highway for raupatu, trade, seasonal customory harvesting, events and... Read more »...

research project

Taranaki climate resilience: Te tirohanga o ngā tohu

Biodiversity in a changing climate Northern Taranaki kaitiaki use environmental tohu as early warning signs, and even more so in the context of climate change. Environmental tohu help kaitiaki understand the best ways to care for te taiao, to monitor environmental change, and to focus effort and funding (for example, on pest control, restoration, replanting or... Read more »...