Te Arawa Lakes Trust welcomes Environment Aotearoa 2022; the report from the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ’s on the state of our Taiao for Aotearoa.
Te Arawa Lakes Trust Environmental Manager Nicki Douglas says the report is a national overview of our environment but it also provides a view for our local whānau and iwi communities.
“Painting the state of our environment through a Māori lens and using scientific data from both knowledge systems widens the scope for our Te Arawa mātauranga to be the solution for improving the environment moving forward.
“The current state of the environment reflects the challenge we are facing as poutiaki; the closer we are to the design, decision making and delivery of environmental matters, the better off the environment is. This therefore improves the health and wellbeing of our people.”
An indicator of the health and wellbeing of the awa can be seen in the restoration of Te Kaikaitāhuna with Ngāti Rangiwewehi and the monitoring of Koaro by rangatahi, hapū and iwi.
Under the Environmental Reporting Act 2015, the collateral for Environment Aotearoa 2022 is produced by the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ.
“Monitoring the state of our environment in the domains of Ranginui, Papatūānuku, Tangaroa and Tāne are key.
“Our tupuna provided tohu, tikanga and mātauranga for us to navigate oceans, adapt to changing environments and be resilient in the face of challenge.
“By observing the environment and acknowledging our role as teina, we can help to ensure we are ready for what’s to come and see what preventative solutions we can put in now to help all of these domains for our mokopuna.
“There is a call to action for us all and this report reinforces the need for agencies who hold responsibility for these domains, to continue to work in collaboration with Te Arawa Lakes Trust – we are here to heed that call.”
TALT currently receive Jobs for Nature funding for Wetland restoration, Weed management through Uwhi and monitoring koura. Aspects of our current work programme are delivered and designed in collaboration with LINZ, DOC, BOPRC.