Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge

“Why are we crossing ecological boundaries that affect Earth’s fundamental life-supporting capacity? Is it because we don’t have enough information about how ecosystems respond to change? Or are we unable, even unwilling, to use that information better?" When the National Science Challenges began, they were set up to concentrate on separate ecosystem and management areas – marine, freshwater and land. A decade later, an interdisciplinary collaboration between Challenge researchers, drawing from the National Science Challenge’s research, has led to their publication being selected as one of 23 National Champions in this year’s international Frontiers Planet Prize. Read more in The Conversation Australia + NZ 👀👇 https://bit.ly/3JQ8KW1

Could there be a better day to celebrate the amazing mahi our researchers do than Earth Day? 🌏 The Frontiers Planet Prize acknowledges breakthroughs in sustainability science across the world, so we’re thrilled to share that a New Zealand scientist has been announced as a finalist, thanks to Biological Heritage and Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge research 🔬🎉 Led by Rebecca Gladstone-Gallagher (The University of Auckland), the findings published in Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene were considered award-winning for the way they connect key actions across research, policy and management of environmental issues in land, water and seas. “We cannot manage our land, water and seas in silos. Ecological tipping points are connected and happen across different time scales. Our research shows how we can use this knowledge to make quicker, more potent, management decisions that connect ecological and social interactions. Ultimately, these actions will help us save ecosystems worldwide.” Learn more 🔎👇  https://lnkd.in/gKExArhp

Pēpeha reflect thoughts on many aspects of Māori culture; history, religious life, conduct, ethics, warfare, marriage, death and weather. Pēpeha are constructs in Te Ao Māori that are used to locate people within time and space, with each other, and with sites of significance. “The relationships and histories carried within pēpeha provide a context which extends beyond the present situation, and often between the lives of both the speaker and the listener”. #Pēpeha are “not merely historical relics. Rather they constitute a communication with the ancestors”. Therefore, pēpeha handed down and spoken by ancestors related to kaitiakitanga and to the #marine environment provide us with a valuable insight into their thoughts about this space and how we can use their teachings and #wisdom to inform the #protection and management of this #taonga in the present day. --- Kia mōhio mai koe! Learn more marine #mātauranga from our report ‘Hui-te-ana-nui: Understanding kaitiakitanga in our marine environment’ 👉 https://lnkd.in/g3fbPuwm #MātaurangaMonday #TeAoMāori #kaitiakitanga #Indigenouswater #whakapapa #aotearoa

What role could the private sector play in the restoration of our coastal and marine environments? Historically, the cost of marine and coastal conservation has been looked after by taxpayers, rate payers or community groups. However, as we face ongoing environmental degradation coupled with a changing climate and a biodiversity crisis, there is a need for different funding pathways. Thanks to our collaboration with EnviroStrat, we’ve released research into supporting business and restorative activities that are environmentally sustainable, align with community and iwi needs, and can create a return 🔽 https://lnkd.in/g66mivfs

The migrations of our Polynesian ancestors have often been romanticised and belittled by non-indigenous anthropologists. R. Walker (1990) explains Elsdon Best and Percy Smith were among the authors that romanticised Polynesian maritime skill; of note is the following quote from Best who stated, “they steered their primitive craft by the heavenly bodies, and by the roll of the waves, before the trade winds”. These romanticised versions of early Polynesian voyaging made way for others to question Polynesian seafaring ability; one of the key authors to challenge these ideas was Andrew Sharp (1957). Sharp’s ideas influenced the notion of the drift theory, wherein he criticised Polynesian navigational abilities creating the idea that Aotearoa, New Zealand was founded by virtue of these ancestors only being able to navigate within 300 nautical miles, anything further than this was described as a drift voyage. This created a false view of the earliest Polynesian arrivals into Aotearoa, putting their voyages and journey down to accident. R. Walker asserts that many of these ideas that challenged Polynesian maritime reality, were a feature of European culture based on published material such as maps and charts as opposed to oral knowledge transmission. A number of authors have discussed the ancient art of way-finding and Polynesian navigation such as Lewis (1972), Finney & Low (2006), Bader & McCurdy (1999), Walker (1990), Harris et al. (2013) which prove Sharps’ drift theory false. --- Kia mōhio mai koe! Learn more marine mātauranga and history from our report ‘Hui-te-ana-nui: Understanding kaitiakitanga in our marine environment’ 👉 https://lnkd.in/g3fbPuwm #MātaurangaMonday #TeAoMāori #kaitiakitanga #discoverocean #indigenouswater

Manukau, the second largest harbour in Aotearoa New Zealand, is home to one of the country’s longest running estuary monitoring programmes. Long-term marine monitoring programmes are essential for establishing baseline information so environmental changes can be detected, identifying changes driven by stressors, and tracking key trends to inform management strategies. Our research has produced guidance on designing long-term monitoring programmes – check it out below 👇 https://lnkd.in/djWVJDxs

Ecosystem services are known as ‘nature’s contributions to people’ and provide a way to communicate and understand the importance of natural ecosystems. Our marine ecosystems provide vital services to communities such as kaimoana, recreation, habitats for marine life and nutrient cycling for the wider environment. There are a range of ecosystem service approaches that can aid marine ecosystem-based management and assist blue economy development in Aotearoa New Zealand. We’ve released a summary of what’s available – check it out below 🧐👇 https://lnkd.in/gRcSAs9r

What role could the private sector play in the restoration of our coastal and marine environments? Historically, the cost of marine and coastal conservation has been looked after by taxpayers, rate payers or community groups. However, as we face ongoing environmental degradation coupled with a changing climate and a biodiversity crisis, there is a need for different funding pathways. Thanks to our collaboration with EnviroStrat, we’ve released research into supporting business and restorative activities that are environmentally sustainable, align with community and iwi needs, and can create a return 🔽 https://lnkd.in/g66mivfs

As we enter the final months of the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge, we're hosting a series of workshops across the motu. These workshops are designed for Māori partners and stakeholders to hear about and discuss the results of our research on managing for a healthy ocean and prosperous blue economy, and the tools developed to help achieve this. There are one-day workshops tailored for each region – find out more and register here 👉 https://bit.ly/4a4RCqO

Waka were the vehicles on which our tūpuna journeyed to Aotearoa. This occurred in numerous migrations across multiple generations. The 1980’s saw the restoration of waka hourua (double-hulled sailing waka) and sailing traditions. These included Hokule’a from Hawai’i and Hawaikinui belonging to Matahi Brightwell of Aotearoa. This was also a revitilisation of traditional waka building techniques by master carvers such as Hekenukumai Busby, and the work of Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr. These waka hourua are a testament to the maritime brilliance of those early ancestors. The recent voyages of Hokule’a, Hikianalea, Haunui, Fafaaite and the Marumaru Atua waka for example using traditional navigational techniques exemplify the ancient skill of early Polynesian navigators and sailors. Waka are a symbol of identity, mana and tribal territory for Māori. Inter-tribally the stories of voyaging and waka differ considerably. However, waka remains the reoccurring thread that bind the first people of Aotearoa together, linking us to our greater Polynesian whakapapa and to the marine environment. --- Kia mōhio mai koe! Learn more marine mātauranga and history from our report ‘Hui-te-ana-nui: Understanding kaitiakitanga in our marine environment’ 👉 https://lnkd.in/g3fbPuwm #MātaurangaMonday #TeAoMāori #kaitiakitanga #discoverocean #indigenouswater