Researcher Summary

My research interests include collaborative approaches to resource management, Indigenous frameworks and Māori-driven geo-spatial solutions in the practice of kaitiakitanga. In Nelson and Motueka my research, in collaboration with mana whenua, involved the development of an Atua framework and culturally-based tools for monitoring cultural health. Tools co-created in this research are now used by kaitiaki in the area to assess the health of freshwater, estuarine and indigenous forest environments.

In Map-based tools for Community and Rūnanga-led sustainable town planning we examine new strategies and tools to improve collaborative planning in Aotearoa New Zealand, through the inclusion of local knowledge from communities in town planning. The project focuses on two cases, the Waimakariri partnering with Ngai Tūāhuriri and Rotorua partnering with Ngāti Whakaue. Two tools are being co-created in response to the specific contexts of the two communities. The findings will be transferable to other towns and cities facing similar town planning challenges.