Glossary

A guide to acronyms (and abbreviations), words and phrases used throughout the Environment Canterbury website. Look in the 'By Subject' tab to find groups of terms relevant to a specific topic.

Some terms might have definitions in addition to those in this glossary.

Use the online Māori Dictionary to help with translating words between Te Reo Māori/English.

Kai
food.
Kaitiaki
guardian(s)—those who exercise kaitiakitanga.
Kaitiakitanga
the exercise of guardianship by the tangata whenua of an area in accordance with tikanga māori in relation to natural and physical resources; and includes the ethic of stewardship.
Kākahi
freshwater mussels.
Ki uta ki tai
literally “from the mountains to the sea”—continuity of flow. Rivers are seen to connect diverse landscapes and to be a source of life. The concept highlights the necessity of integrated approaches to management or natural resources. It is a holistic approach to kaitiakitanga. It is a whole ecosystem approach.
Kōtare
kingfisher.
Koura
freshwater crayfish.
K
Potassium
k
×1000 (thousand)
KACs
Key Activity Centres
kB
kilobyte(s)
kg
kilogram(s)
km
kilometre(s)
kms
kilometres
kPa
kilopascal(s)
kW
kiloWatt(s)
kWh
kiloWatt hour