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Indigenous knowledge offers solutions, but its use must be based on meaningful collaboration with Indigenous communities

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Thursday, March 30, 2023

\ Shutterstock/Guy HaslerAs global environmental challenges grow, people and societies are increasingly looking to Indigenous knowledge for solutions. Indigenous knowledge is particularly appealing for addressing climate change because it includes long histories and guidance on how to live with, and as part of, nature. It is also based on a holistic understanding of interactions between living and non-living aspects of the environment. However, without meaningful collaborations with Indigenous communities, the use of Indigenous knowledge can be tokenistic, extractive and harmful. Our newly published work explores the concept of kaitiakitanga. This is often translated as guardianship, stewardship or the “principle and practices of inter-generational sustainability”. We want to encourage Western-trained scientists to work in partnership with Māori and meaningfully acknowledge Māori values and knowledge in their work in conservation and resource management. Kaitiakitanga is more than guardianship Indigenous knowledge includes innovations, observations, and oral and written histories that have been developed by Indigenous peoples across the world for millennia. This knowledge is living, dynamic and evolving. In Aotearoa New Zealand, mātauranga Māori is the distinct knowledge developed by Māori. It includes culture, values and world view. The concept of kaitiakitanga is often (mis)used in the context of conservation and resource management in Aotearoa. In our work, we highlight how kaitiakitanga is inherently linked to other concepts. It is difficult to translate these concepts directly but they include tikanga (Māori customs), whakapapa (genealogy), rangatiratanga (sovereignty) and much more. One of the key conceptual differences between kaitiakitanga and conservation is that for kaitiakitanga, we consider being part of te taiao (the environment) and manage our relationships accordingly. Conservation is characterised by humans managing the environment as if they were separate from it. Read more: Why we should release New Zealand's strangled rivers to lessen the impact of future floods The Honourable Justice Joe Williams describes kaitiakitanga as “the obligation to care for one’s own”, indicating the intrinsic link between people and the environment. We caution against simplistic definitions of kaitiakitanga. They often divorce it from its cultural context. Simplistic definitions reduce the richness of the concept and also fail to recognise the differences in how kaitiakitanga is conceptualised and practised. Instead, we encourage Western-trained researchers to gain a deeper understanding of concepts that underpin kaitiakitanga and work with mana whenua to further develop understanding. Read more: When rehoming wildlife, Indigenous leadership delivers the best results Kaitiakitanga and conservation in practice There is a growing number of examples of successful collaborations between mana whenua and researchers. Exploring these projects will allow researchers to gain insights into how to contribute in an effective and respectful way. For instance, a study of the traditional harvest and management of sooty shearwater in the Marlborough Sounds shows the importance of including cultural harvest in species conservation management. Similarly, putting Indigenous knowledge at the centre of the translocation of rare species improves conservation outcomes. Rāhui to fight kauri dieback: biosecurity workers inspect and record information about a kauri in the Waitakere Ranges. Getty Images Rāhui in conservation Rāhui is a customary process that can be used by mana whenua to restrict access to a certain resource or area of land to allow recovery. It includes an holistic understanding of the environmental problem, and social and political control. Rāhui has been used to reduce the spread of kauri dieback disease in the Waitakere Ranges. It has also been used to protect kaimoana (including scallops, mussels, crayfish and pāua) on Waiheke Island. Other examples include rāhui covering forests, lakes, beaches and marine areas for durations from days to decades. Rāhui are widely used but highly specific to local conditions. For iwi to be able to implement rāhui, they need to have rangatiratanga, as kaitiakitanga is both an affirmation and manifestation of rangatiratanga. Read more: Let's choose our words more carefully when discussing mātauranga Māori and science An effective way forward Empowering Māori researchers and communities is central to worthwhile collaborations. We encourage non-Māori researchers to approach partnership with an awareness of the limits of their training and knowledge. Embracing a mindset of intellectual humility will more likely create conditions for meaningful co-created work. While establishing and maintaining collaborations can be time-consuming, our collective experience is that taking time to develop trust and understanding is essential for successful outcomes. We hope our work will provide some inspiration and guidance for established practitioners and students alike. There are a number of other examples of how mātauranga and ecology can work together. The New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research has dedicated a special issue to mātauranga Māori and how it is shaping marine conservation. Others have explored how respectful collaborations can support better teaching of science and better research outcomes. Tara McAllister has received funding from the Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund.Cate Macinnis-Ng has received funding from Te Pūnaha Hihiko: Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund and Te Pūnaha Matatini. Dan Hikuroa has received funding from Marsden, MBIE, Te Pūnaha Matatini and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga. He is UNESCO New Zealand Commissioner for Culture, member of Ngā Kaihautū Tikanga Taiao and interim Pou Herenga.

One key difference between kaitiakitanga and conservation is that the former considers people as part of the environment, while the latter manages nature as if people were separate from it.

\ Shutterstock/Guy Hasler

As global environmental challenges grow, people and societies are increasingly looking to Indigenous knowledge for solutions.

Indigenous knowledge is particularly appealing for addressing climate change because it includes long histories and guidance on how to live with, and as part of, nature. It is also based on a holistic understanding of interactions between living and non-living aspects of the environment.

However, without meaningful collaborations with Indigenous communities, the use of Indigenous knowledge can be tokenistic, extractive and harmful.

Our newly published work explores the concept of kaitiakitanga. This is often translated as guardianship, stewardship or the “principle and practices of inter-generational sustainability”.

We want to encourage Western-trained scientists to work in partnership with Māori and meaningfully acknowledge Māori values and knowledge in their work in conservation and resource management.

Kaitiakitanga is more than guardianship

Indigenous knowledge includes innovations, observations, and oral and written histories that have been developed by Indigenous peoples across the world for millennia.

This knowledge is living, dynamic and evolving. In Aotearoa New Zealand, mātauranga Māori is the distinct knowledge developed by Māori. It includes culture, values and world view.

The concept of kaitiakitanga is often (mis)used in the context of conservation and resource management in Aotearoa. In our work, we highlight how kaitiakitanga is inherently linked to other concepts. It is difficult to translate these concepts directly but they include tikanga (Māori customs), whakapapa (genealogy), rangatiratanga (sovereignty) and much more.

One of the key conceptual differences between kaitiakitanga and conservation is that for kaitiakitanga, we consider being part of te taiao (the environment) and manage our relationships accordingly. Conservation is characterised by humans managing the environment as if they were separate from it.


Read more: Why we should release New Zealand's strangled rivers to lessen the impact of future floods


The Honourable Justice Joe Williams describes kaitiakitanga as “the obligation to care for one’s own”, indicating the intrinsic link between people and the environment.

We caution against simplistic definitions of kaitiakitanga. They often divorce it from its cultural context. Simplistic definitions reduce the richness of the concept and also fail to recognise the differences in how kaitiakitanga is conceptualised and practised.

Instead, we encourage Western-trained researchers to gain a deeper understanding of concepts that underpin kaitiakitanga and work with mana whenua to further develop understanding.


Read more: When rehoming wildlife, Indigenous leadership delivers the best results


Kaitiakitanga and conservation in practice

There is a growing number of examples of successful collaborations between mana whenua and researchers. Exploring these projects will allow researchers to gain insights into how to contribute in an effective and respectful way.

For instance, a study of the traditional harvest and management of sooty shearwater in the Marlborough Sounds shows the importance of including cultural harvest in species conservation management.

Similarly, putting Indigenous knowledge at the centre of the translocation of rare species improves conservation outcomes.

Rāhui to fight kauri dieback: biosecurity workers inspect and record information about a kauri in the Waitakere Ranges. Getty Images

Rāhui in conservation

Rāhui is a customary process that can be used by mana whenua to restrict access to a certain resource or area of land to allow recovery. It includes an holistic understanding of the environmental problem, and social and political control.

Rāhui has been used to reduce the spread of kauri dieback disease in the Waitakere Ranges. It has also been used to protect kaimoana (including scallops, mussels, crayfish and pāua) on Waiheke Island.

Other examples include rāhui covering forests, lakes, beaches and marine areas for durations from days to decades. Rāhui are widely used but highly specific to local conditions. For iwi to be able to implement rāhui, they need to have rangatiratanga, as kaitiakitanga is both an affirmation and manifestation of rangatiratanga.


Read more: Let's choose our words more carefully when discussing mātauranga Māori and science


An effective way forward

Empowering Māori researchers and communities is central to worthwhile collaborations. We encourage non-Māori researchers to approach partnership with an awareness of the limits of their training and knowledge.

Embracing a mindset of intellectual humility will more likely create conditions for meaningful co-created work. While establishing and maintaining collaborations can be time-consuming, our collective experience is that taking time to develop trust and understanding is essential for successful outcomes.

We hope our work will provide some inspiration and guidance for established practitioners and students alike.

There are a number of other examples of how mātauranga and ecology can work together. The New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research has dedicated a special issue to mātauranga Māori and how it is shaping marine conservation. Others have explored how respectful collaborations can support better teaching of science and better research outcomes.

The Conversation

Tara McAllister has received funding from the Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund.

Cate Macinnis-Ng has received funding from Te Pūnaha Hihiko: Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund and Te Pūnaha Matatini.

Dan Hikuroa has received funding from Marsden, MBIE, Te Pūnaha Matatini and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga. He is UNESCO New Zealand Commissioner for Culture, member of Ngā Kaihautū Tikanga Taiao and interim Pou Herenga.

Read the full story here.
Photos courtesy of

Reported plan to move Rosehill racecourse to endangered bell frog habitat surprises conservationists

Horse racing industry insiders said to be pushing for Sydney track to be relocated to former brickpit in Olympic Park – a sanctuary to an unlikely urban survivorFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastConservations have expressed surprise at reported plans to move Sydney’s Rosehill racecourse to a historic brickpit at Olympic Park, which is home to a colony of endangered green and golden bell frogs.The plan has reportedly been devised by racing bosses, alongside the deal between the Australian Turf Club and the New South Wales government to redevelop the famous track into new housing, as well as two additional metro stations.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

Conservations have expressed surprise at reported plans to move Sydney’s Rosehill racecourse to a historic brickpit at Olympic Park, which is home to a colony of endangered green and golden bell frogs.The plan has reportedly been devised by racing bosses, alongside the deal between the Australian Turf Club and the New South Wales government to redevelop the famous track into new housing, as well as two additional metro stations.Known for its bright pea green and golden colours – and “motorbike-like call” – the green and golden bell frog has become an unofficial mascot of the Homebush area.The frogs were found living in the wetlands of the former industrial brickpit, which closed in 1988 after a century of operation.Their presence scuppered plans for the construction of a tennis complex for the Sydney 2000 Olympics and the area was then converted into a $6.5m wildlife sanctuary.The latest reported proposal is for horses to race around the endangered species’ habitat on a new track, leaving the sanctuary untouched and protected, and still open to the public.“This is probably the only proposal for the use of this land that can exist symbiotically with the endangered frogs,” a racing insider told the Daily Telegraph on Tuesday.No one has yet been named as a supporting the proposal and it would have to pass a series of planning and environmental requirements.The Sydney Olympic Park Authority and the Australian Turf Club did not respond to requests for comment.Dr Arthur White, a leading expert on the frogs, said: “Bell frogs are a bit different to other frogs in that they are normally found in disturbed and unstable sites … [not] a pond with lily pads.”“They are a colonising species and move around a lot in search of new freshwater sites that they can colonise first. This means that they often end up in old industrial sites, quarries, open wasteland and flooded areas.”Litoria aurea – a green and golden bell frog. Photograph: Stephen Mahony/Australian MuseumIt is believed that the high metal content in water at the site helped to suppress the growth of chytrid fungus, which causes chytridiomycosis disease, David Jones, a project manager for Conservation Volunteers Australia, said.“Chytridiomycosis disease is the biggest threat facing the frog, along with loss of habitat,” Jones said. “So it seems like the metals in the water actually helped the frogs survive in that particular location.”skip past newsletter promotionOur Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it mattersPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionIn 2021 CVA partnered with Sydney Olympic Park Authority to plant more native habitat to keep the frogs from moving on from the site.“Our main objective through our most recent project was to connect breeding ponds for the frogs, so that they can safely move between them without getting predated on,” Jones said.“Before there were isolated ponds and low grass in between with not much cover for ongoing reproduction and dispersal.”Today the colony is one of the largest populations of the endangered species remaining in NSW. And visitors are able to see and hear the beloved frogs from a 550-metre-circular walkway, raised 18.5m above the floor of the sanctuary.“I would be very surprised if anything was being done that would threaten the Sydney Olympic Park population,” Jones said.“My understanding is that the place has been carefully protected, and cared for the benefit of the frogs and all the other species.”The NSW premier, Chris Minns, announced the proposal of 25,000 new homes, a school and the extension of the Metro West, all at the site of Rosehill racecourse, in December last year.He called the plan a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” that could help fix the state’s housing crisis.The ATC chair, Peter McGauran, called the projected $50bn sale an opportunity to “leapfrog” racing in Sydney by 50 years.

Data missing on clearing of endangered ecosystems for western Sydney housing scheme

NSW environment department spokesperson says offset program for the area has continued despite failure to file reports for three yearsGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastThe New South Wales environment department stopped monitoring and reporting on a $530m conservation program meant to compensate for swathes of land-clearing at the same time as its management of biodiversity offset schemes was under investigation, Guardian Australia can reveal.Conservationists and the NSW Greens say the government must investigate the “startling failure” by the department to report on progress towards meeting the conservation offset requirements for new suburb developments in western Sydney.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

The New South Wales environment department stopped monitoring and reporting on a $530m conservation program meant to compensate for swathes of land-clearing at the same time as its management of biodiversity offset schemes was under investigation, Guardian Australia can reveal.Conservationists and the NSW Greens say the government must investigate the “startling failure” by the department to report on progress towards meeting the conservation offset requirements for new suburb developments in western Sydney.The environment minister, Penny Sharpe, has sought urgent advice from her department about the missing data related to clearing of critically endangered ecosystems for housing in areas including Shanes Park, Riverstone and Schofields.The data has not been filed by the department for three years. It is an apparent breach of the state’s annual reporting obligations agreed to when the federal government approved the Sydney growth centres, a multi-decade urban development program for western Sydney.Sharpe, who was in opposition when the department stopped filing the reports, became aware of the issue after Guardian Australia requested to see the documents last week.“I have asked for urgent advice on what other data and reports might have been delayed under the previous government,” Sharpe said.The reports track progress towards offset targets for threatened species and ecosystems affected by clearing for new housing and infrastructure in western Sydney. The affected areas include the critically endangered Cumberland plain woodland. The reports also document annual spending on offset credits and conservation areas under the $530m program. Individual transactions under the program can be worth millions of dollars.The NSW government has not submitted a completed report to the federal environment department or published one since 2019-20, despite being required to do both under its federal obligations.NSW Greens environment spokesperson Sue Higginson said it was a “shocking omission” and called on the government to investigate.“These reports are required as part of the state’s obligations under the federal legal framework,” she said. “Considering the parlous state of biodiversity in NSW and the extent of the known failures of the biodiversity offsets system, it’s completely unacceptable.”The state’s environment department stopped filing the reports during a period in which multiple inquiries, including an auditor general’s review, a parliamentary inquiry and departmental investigations, were under way into the management of the state’s biodiversity offset schemes. The inquiries were triggered in 2021 after Guardian Australia revealed serious failures in the offsets scheme meant to compensate for the clearing of bushland in western Sydney.Sharpe said she was concerned, and that it was “yet another example of the previous government’s don’t care attitude to the environment”.The missing conservation reports are for a planning scheme that was designed to guide more than 30 years of housing development in Sydney’s west.The scheme was approved by the federal government in 2011 under a policy that removed the need for developers to seek individual environmental approval for projects. Instead, it allowed environmental approval to be granted upfront for multiple projects across a mapped region and conservation conditions to be set for the life of the development.skip past newsletter promotionSign up to Afternoon UpdateOur Australian afternoon update breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it mattersPrivacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.after newsletter promotionThe state government is responsible for meeting the conservation requirements by acquiring conservation lands and buying offsets. Developers contribute to some of the cost by paying a levy.A NSW environment department spokesperson said the offset program for the growth centres had continued despite its failure to file regular reports. They said the government acquired 10.7ha for conservation in 2020-21 and 98.7ha in 2021-22. They said no offsets were bought under the program in 2022-23, but the government expected to acquire a further 45.67ha this financial year.Lisa Harrold, the president of the Mulgoa Valley Landcare group, said when the Sydney growth centres were approved the community had hoped it would lead to new nature reserves and corridors to stop the region’s unique ecosystems collapsing. She said transparent reporting on the use of conservation funds was important because it allowed the community to scrutinise whether commitments were being met and where money had been spent.“Millions of dollars should be invested annually in acquiring land for conservation, but exactly how much funding has been spent and where these offsets are located is a mystery,” she said.James Trezise, the director of the Biodiversity Council, said the case was a “startling failure” that highlighted the pitfalls of “set and forget” environmental and planning approaches that had been adopted by the federal government over the years.He said proper environmental oversight was critical in western Sydney, the home of the last remaining patches of Cumberland plain woodland, which provides habitat for species such as koalas, gliders and threatened plants.The NSW environment department spokesperson said reporting was not a condition of the federal approval for the growth centres but was an obligation under a “procedural agreement” between the two governments. They said the department was working to bring the reporting up to date and publish the missing reports.A spokesperson for the federal environment department said it had ensured the state government was fully aware of its obligations.

Costa Rica Enters Top 20 in World Happiness Report

Costa Rica has reason to celebrate as the Central American nation entered the top 20 happiest countries in the world, according to the latest UN-sponsored World Happiness Report published on Wednesday. The report, which has been published for over a decade, ranks 143 countries based on factors such as life satisfaction, GDP per capita, social […] The post Costa Rica Enters Top 20 in World Happiness Report appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Costa Rica has reason to celebrate as the Central American nation entered the top 20 happiest countries in the world, according to the latest UN-sponsored World Happiness Report published on Wednesday. The report, which has been published for over a decade, ranks 143 countries based on factors such as life satisfaction, GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption. Costa Rica’s entry into the top 20 at number 12 is a significant achievement, especially considering that the United States and Germany, two of the world’s largest economies, failed to make the top 20 for the first time since the report’s inception. The report also noted that the happiest countries no longer included any of the world’s largest countries, with only the Netherlands and Australia having populations over 15 million in the top 10. While Finland remained the world’s happiest country for the seventh consecutive year, with other Nordic countries like Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden also ranking in the top 10, Costa Rica’s success in the report is a testament to the country’s commitment to the well-being of its citizens. Costa Rica has made significant strides in environmental conservation, renewable energy, and sustainable tourism. These factors, combined with a strong emphasis on education, healthcare, and social support, have contributed to its high levels of happiness and life satisfaction. As the world continues to grapple with growing inequality and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Costa Rica’s success in the World Happiness Report should serve as an inspiration to everyone and a reminder that prioritizing the well-being of citizens can lead to a happier, more prosperous society. The post Costa Rica Enters Top 20 in World Happiness Report appeared first on The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate.

Copper mining and religious rights clash in Arizona

Conflict arises over Arizona copper mine on sacred grounds, testing the balance between green energy demands and Indigenous religious rights.Taylar Dawn Stagner reports for Grist.In short:A copper mine proposed on sacred Indigenous land in Arizona sparks a legal battle, weighing religious freedom against environmental solutions.The San Carlos Apache Tribe deems the site crucial for spiritual practices, while the mining project promises economic benefits and vital copper for green technology.Despite an appeal to stop construction, a court ruling permits mining, prompting a possible Supreme Court showdown over substantial burdens on religious practice.Key quote: "Oak Flat is like Mount Sinai to us — our most sacred site where we connect without Creator, our faith, our families and our land.”— Wendsler Noise, Apache StrongholdWhy this matters:The controversy surrounding the proposed Resolution Copper mine at Oak Flat has sparked a significant debate that touches on environmental conservation, economic development, and Indigenous rights. Oak Flat, a stretch of Arizona desert east of Phoenix, is considered sacred by the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other Native American groups. It's also the site of one of the largest undeveloped copper deposits in the world.Related: Modern boundaries complicate —and stymie—the Menominee Tribe's effort to protect burial grounds.

Conflict arises over Arizona copper mine on sacred grounds, testing the balance between green energy demands and Indigenous religious rights.Taylar Dawn Stagner reports for Grist.In short:A copper mine proposed on sacred Indigenous land in Arizona sparks a legal battle, weighing religious freedom against environmental solutions.The San Carlos Apache Tribe deems the site crucial for spiritual practices, while the mining project promises economic benefits and vital copper for green technology.Despite an appeal to stop construction, a court ruling permits mining, prompting a possible Supreme Court showdown over substantial burdens on religious practice.Key quote: "Oak Flat is like Mount Sinai to us — our most sacred site where we connect without Creator, our faith, our families and our land.”— Wendsler Noise, Apache StrongholdWhy this matters:The controversy surrounding the proposed Resolution Copper mine at Oak Flat has sparked a significant debate that touches on environmental conservation, economic development, and Indigenous rights. Oak Flat, a stretch of Arizona desert east of Phoenix, is considered sacred by the San Carlos Apache Tribe and other Native American groups. It's also the site of one of the largest undeveloped copper deposits in the world.Related: Modern boundaries complicate —and stymie—the Menominee Tribe's effort to protect burial grounds.

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