State of the Takiwa
State of the Takiwā describes a culturally-based environmental monitoring and reporting system being developed by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu as part of the overall Ki Uta Ki Tai - Mountains to the Sea Natural Resource Management framework outlined in the tribal vision, Ngāi Tahu 2025.
Its main purpose is to allow Ngāi Tahu whānui to assess and report on the cultural health of the natural resources and environment in the Ngāi Tahu Takiwā.
State of the Takiwā (SoT) is a play on words from the conventional, largely western science based approach to environmental monitoring called State of the Environment Reporting. The difference is that State of the Takiwā is a monitoring approach that will take into account Ngāi Tahu cultural values, such as mauri, mana and mahinga kai.
Scoping Document
In February 2004, Kaupapa Taiao completed a draft scoping document outlining the major issues and options for developing the State of the Takiwā system. This paper was sent to Ngā Papatipu Rūnanga and then presented to the Kaupapa Taiao Wananga, held at Puketeraki in April 2004, where feedback was provided.
The paper and feedback both recommended that external funding be sought to further develop the system. This was achieved through the latest round of the Ministry for the Environment's Sustainable Management Fund.
In June 2004, Kaupapa Taiao, in conjunction with Environmental Science and Research (ESR) and with the support of Ngā Papatipu Rūnanga o Murihiku, Environment Southland, Environment Canterbury, Manaaki Whenua/Landcare Research and Taihoro Nukurangi/NIWA was successful in receiving funding from the Ministry for the Environment to undertake a pilot study for SoT based in Murihiku (Southland).
View the State of the Takiwa Scoping Document - 2004 [PDF 1.5MB]
Murihiku Pilot Project - Waiau River
The pilot project, which ran for a year to July 2005 resulted in the development of the first State of the Takiwā report in the world using the Takiwā 1.0 monitoring tool and database developed as part of the project.
This report specifically outlines the results of the pilot study undertaken in the Waiau River Catchment, Southland in March 2005 and presents critical ‘baseline’ information that captured the current cultural health of the 12 sites assessed within the pilot study. The report also displays information on past health and other measures of the state of these sites to understand significant changes over time.
Overall, the pilot Takiwā assessment found that the Waiau catchment was in a state of good cultural health. The results showed that the upper catchment, around Te Anau, the tributary sites in the Jericho Block and sites at the mouth, overlooking Te Waewae Bay, were in a healthier state than those sites in the mid-catchment or near settlements.
Positive features of the higher scoring sites related to their relatively unmodified nature, native vegetation dominance, good access and potential for mahinga kai. The lower scoring sites, however, were associated with the negative impacts of settlement, agriculture, pests, weeds, as well as the loss of river flow as a result of hydro-generation.
It is envisioned that this report will be the first of many more, with regular monitoring and reporting being undertaken in subsequent years to gain a fuller picture of the State of the Takiwā.
If you have any comments or feedback on State of the Takiwa please contact Craig Pauling at Craig.Pauling@ngaitahu.iwi.nz
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