Otago Runaka Capability Development
Client
Aukaha
Experts
Richard Allibone (Water Ways Consulting)
Aukaha requested technical expertise as they began to complement Cultural Health Monitoring programmes undertaken in the Otago region.
Cultural health monitoring work has been underway in the Otago region to measure the health of waterways from a Kāi Tahu mana whenua perspective. The results of cultural health monitoring will enable iwi to engage with Otago Regional Council’s requirements to give effect to Te Mana o Te Wai, as specified in the NPS-FM. This will also help inform Council as they develop their new Land and Water Regional Plan.
To support the invovlement of Kāi Tahu mana whenua in freshwater monitoring, Aukaha sought a guidance document that succinctly identifies and summarises a range of western science ecological monitoring methods. These methods needed to apply to measuring a range of different freshwater attributes from relatively simple qualitative methods to detailed quantitive methods. Guided by A2E, this was an opportunity for Aukaha to develop their capability further.
Applying to five papatipu rūnanga (tribal council) who represent mana ki te whenua over different areas of the Otago region, these rūnanga represent the hapū (kinship group) who hold the mana and mātauraka (collective understanding, wisdom, knowledge) to report on mahika kai (food gathering) values, as the local indigenous communities who have practiced mahika kai for generations in their respective takiwā (tribal area). The five rūnanga are:
- Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki
- Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou
- Te Rūnanga o Moeraki
- Hokonui Rūnanga
- Te Rūnanga o Waihao
Through A2E, Richard Allibone (Water Ways Consulting) provided their expert support. Richard prepared an interactive and accessible guidance document that presents a wide range of monitoring techniques available for measuring freshwater environmental health.
Proposed monitoring techniques range from ways to compare freshwater conditions to the attribute bands of the National Policy Statement, to ready to use visual-based estimates.
The guidance document will provide the foundations for papatipu rūnaka to design western science monitoring programmes where they seek to improve capability in western science freshwater monitoring techniques.