Waikowhitiwhiti

Matariki Ahunganui

On the 4th of July 2014 Manaaki Taha Moana will be hosting Matariki Ahunganui,

a one day forum celebrating environmental cross cultural research. The main

theme of the event will be: Mai uta ki tai – restoring and enhancing freshwater

and coastal ecosystems and their services of importance to iwi, through a better

understanding of these ecosystems and the degradation processes that affect

them. We would like to extend an invitation to all hapū and iwi to join us in

recognizing the efforts of our local Māori researchers, and Māori environmental

groups.

Kapowai

Waka Digital have made significant progress on the Kapowai (helicopter mounted camera) and earlier this year it was launched into the first of a series of test flights, with amazing success. With the direction of an experienced driver the Kapowai was able to capture clear Hi-definition aerial videos of a number of sites around the Tauranga Harbour (the bottom image in the adjacent picture is an example of a still image taken from an aerial video over Mauao). We are very excited to utilise this tool in our current research projects and are certain that it will have a key role in future environmental and cultural monitoring programmes.

Coastal Cultural

Health Index

We are well into phase two of the Coastal Cultural Health Index project and have been working closely with Ngāti Taka, whom have supported the CCHI project from its inception. We are currently in the process of conducting site evaluations within the rohe moana of Ngāti Taka. Site evaluations require significant input from hapu and involve documenting a combination of traditional knowledge and cultural perceptions. Nā reira ka mihi ake ki ngā whānau ō Ngāti Taka e kaha tatoko ana i te kaupapa, ko te tūmanako ka whai hua, ka whai oranga te hapū, te iwi whānui hoki.

Manaaki Taha Moana Newsletter April 2014

Manaaki te Awanui is a research group, founded upon valuing mātauranga māori as

a tool to support the restoration and enhancement of coastal ecosystems. Our

research projects place emphasis on iwi/hapū/whānau capacity building and

empowering kaitiakitanga and tino rangatiratanga. Our research is a collaborative

venture which sees us work closely with the Manaaki Taha Moana research

partners, Massey University, Cawthron Institute, Waka Digital and Taiao Raukawa,

as well as the local and regional authorities, tertiary institutes and environmental

agencies. We are part of a number of research projects based in Tauranga Moana,

and we hope that this newsletter will provide whanau with an insight into our

research and upcoming events later in the year.

Alex is the most recent addition to our Manaaki Te Awanui research team. She is of Ngai te Rangi and Ngāti Ranginui decent. Alex’s enthusiasm and passion for environmental conservation and restoration has proven to be very valuable. She plays a key role in multiple aspects of the project from cultural research to field data collection. Alex is passionate about estuarine, wetland and riparian restoration and she would one day like to specialise in this area. Alex is engaged with a beautiful daughter and in her spare time she enjoys gardening and reading. Nā reira, e kō, nau mai whakatau ma, tū mai rā hei ringa raupā mo tō whānau, hapū, iwi hoki.

Te Maunga Wastewater Management Project

We are currently into the second milestone period for the Te Maunga

Wastewater Management Project, and we are well into the estuarine

sampling component. Vanessa Taikato of Ngā Pōtiki, Ngai te Rangi, is in her

final year of her Masters of Science, University of Waikato. Vanessa is

leading the Ecological Survey sampling and along with a number of other

students, has spent countless hours collecting, sorting and identifying

benthic fauna from sediment core samples. The data collected will be

applied to cumulative impact models in order to help determine the health of

the local Te Maunga estuarine environment.

We are also happy to have on board, Kataraina Hika and Waimarie

Halkyard who are both second year students of the Diploma in

Environmental Management, Bay of Plenty Polytechnic. Their second year

project will be part of our larger Taonga Species Evaluation, and will look

specifically at the relationships between tītiko populations and different

substrate variables along a distance gradient from the oxidation ponds.

Te Tai a Kupe: Mātauranga Māori Report

This report provides a comprehensive collection of Tangata Whenua

perspectives regarding the history of Te Awanui. It touches on the major

issues and themes that have been identified throughout history and will

provide the basis for future studies. The report is in its final stages and we

are looking forward to its publication later this year.

manaakiteawanui@gmail.com

234a Waihi Road

Tauranga

(07) 5784054

www.mtm.ac.nz

Alex Bedford- Rolleston

(BSc, University of Waikato)