Kaitiakitanga

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Kaitiakitanga entails the active protection and responsibility for natural and physical resources by tangata whenua. Exercise of kaitiakitanga requires both a role in decision making and the achievement of environmental outcomes. The governance at zonal, regional and national scales under this strategy is therefore very important to the achievement of kaitiakitanga.

Under the Canterbury Water Management Strategy (CWMS), goals were set to help make a difference to our environment and how natural resources are managed. Environment Canterbury reports on progress on behalf of CWMS partners.

Here's how things are progressing against 2020 goals. View information on:

Marae water supply

2020 goal: All marae and associated papakāinga have access to high-quality drinking water.

Has the goal been met?

Met
Partially met
Not met

Progress on this goal has been slow and data is limited. Rūnanga, Community and Public Health, territorial authorities and Environment Canterbury are working together to improve access to good quality drinking water. Work is focused on marae with their own water supplies, which are not required to be registered with the Ministry of Health. Protection zones have been mapped for marae with groundwater and surface water supplies and initial investigations are underway on how to monitor and protect marae drinking water supplies.

Highlights to date
  • Collaborative actions to improve access to quality drinking water include; hui with rūnanga where marae water supply is not connected to a local community supply to understand current and future needs and concerns, and raising awareness of the impact new consenting activity may have on the water supply by clearly identifying where water supplies may be influenced by land-use activities.

  • Christchurch City Council is conducting a needs assessment to determine health risks of water supplies, including the needs assessment of marae, with priority given to Koukourārata supply.

Looking forward to 2025
  • Environment Canterbury, with the support of Community Public Health, is providing extra resources to ensure this goal is met.
  • Environment Canterbury is considering additions to existing work programmes to monitor, measure and report on water quality and quantity of marae drinking water.
  • Central Government's Three Waters Review has resulted in regulatory reform and more support for three waters infrastructure. In 2021, Taumata Arowai became the water services regulator for Aotearoa.
  • The current operational delivery of three waters infrastructure is likely to change over the next few years as a result of Central Government's Three Waters Review.

Working together in partnership

2020 goal: Integrated Ki Uta Ki Tai environmental management philosophies into zonal and regional management planning.

Has the goal been met?

Met
Partially met
Not met

Ki Uta Ki Tai refers to the concept of mountains to the sea – a whole-systems approach to the sustainable management of water. Ki uta ki tai environmental management philosophies are integrated into zone and regional planning through the active committee membership of rūnanga representatives and an emerging understanding by all community members of these principles. Environment Canterbury also actively engages with the wider rūnanga through special working groups, to support their input into regional plans.

 

2020 goal: Further co-governance arrangements (developed in partnership by Ngāi Tahu, the Crown and Canterbury local government) for the active management of nominated waterbodies in North and South Canterbury.

Has the goal been met?

Met
Partially met
Not met

Opportunities for co-governance in both North and South Canterbury have been identified but not developed or implemented.

 

2020 goal: At least one Ngāi Tahu tangata tiakiwai (water guardian) is appointed in each zone.

Has the goal been met?

Met
Partially met
Not met

A system for appointing Ngāi Tahu tangata tiakiwai is not yet in place. It is agreed that progressing this work is best led by Ngāi Tahu, with Environment Canterbury support. The role and responsibilities of tangata tiakiwai and their appointment needs to be developed.

Highlights to date
  • Iwi Management Plans (IMP) are in place for the northern and middle parts of the region.

  • Environment Canterbury has appointed three Pou Mātai Kō (Cultural Land Management Advisors) who work with the Zone Delivery Teams to support advice to landowners. This role helps farmers understand why and how to protect mahinga kai. Protecting mahinga kai is paramount to Ngāi Tahu.

  • In July 2018, Te Waihora Co-governors launched Whakaora Te Ahuriri, a $3.5m project for a new wetland and improved habitat to ensure the future of mahinga kai in the Ahuriri Lagoon and downstream Huritini/Halswell River.

  • Funding to Te Waihora boosted by Central Government's Jobs for Nature programme in 2021.

  • There continues to be strong leadership around the Zone Committee table by rūnanga representatives to foster greater understanding of tikanga across the committees.

Looking forward to 2025
  • Environment Canterbury’s Tuia work programme will work to support the development and use of Iwi Management Plans for all catchments by 2025.
  • Further work needs to be undertaken by Ngāi Tahu, with Environment Canterbury support, to develop a system to appoint tangata tiakiwai and resource them appropriately.
  • The opportunities that have been identified for North and South Canterbury need to be developed and implemented in partnership with rūnanga in order to meet the 2025 goal. This is part of Environment Canterbury's Tuia work programme.

Wāhi Taonga and mahinga kai

2020 goal: A mahinga kai food gathering standard is confirmed and implemented as a water quality monitoring tool.

Has the goal been met?

Met
Partially met
Not met

The development of a mahinga kai food gathering standard is ongoing. It requires the involvement of multiple agencies but will be led by Ngāi Tahu.

 

2020 goal: Increased the abundance of, access to and use of mahinga kai.

Has the goal been met?

Met
Partially met
Not met

Limited progress has been made towards this goal. There are many aspects of water quality – covered in other target areas – that contribute to this goal being achieved. However, positive actions are being undertaken towards this goal, including the requirements around mahinga kai in Farm Environment Plans, and the work done by the three Pou Mātai Kō who work with the zone delivery teams to provide support and advice to landowners.

Highlights to date
  • More information about mahinga kai is now freely available, and a mahinga kai species guide has been developed for Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere).
  • Ngāi Tahu developed a web series of 12 10-minute films Ngāi Tahu Mahinga Kai that capture the stories of traditional food gathering practices.
  • There are a range of tools used in Canterbury for assessing the Ngāi Tahu values associated with water body health, customary use and flow preferences. COMAR (Cultural Opportunity Mapping Assessment and Response) has been used in many catchments to assist with identifying cultural preferences for river and stream flows, as part of the sub-regional planning process.
Looking forward to 2025
  • CWMS partners will progress the development of a mahinga kai food gathering standard.
  • Three Pou Mātai Kō will continue to provide advice and support to landowners. Tangata Whenua Facilitators will continue to work alongside Ngāi Tahu Papatipu Rūnanga and their appointed members to the water zone committees to identify opportunities, relationships, and ways of working to speed up the delivery of the kaitiakitanga targets.
  • A new key role , Tangata Whenua Facilitator – Kaitiakitanga Targets, will focus on identifying and prioritising key programmes and projects that will progress and deliver kaitiakitanga goals.
  • A new role at Environment Canterbury, mātauranga pūtaiao, a science educator based in the science team, provides a focus on equipping staff to value, recognise and integrate mātauranga Māori within their work.

View all CWMS target areas