Giving voice to taonga in the Waitao catchment and beyond
Ngāti Pūkenga Iwi ki Tauranga Trust is the mandated iwi organisation representing Ngāti Pūkenga within Tauranga Moana. The Trust works to protect and restore the cultural, environmental, social and economic wellbeing of our people and our ancestral landscapes. Our work spans freshwater restoration, biodiversity protection, cultural heritage management, mātauranga Māori revitalisation, environmental monitoring, rangatahi development and sustainable economic initiatives. The Trust works alongside whānau, hapū, schools, researchers, community groups, neighbouring iwi and local authorities to restore the mauri of whenua, wai and taonga species. Through a kaitiakitanga-centred approach, we seek to reconnect people with place while building long-term stewardship of ecosystems for future generations.
Project story
Te Ririki o Te Taiao: Giving Voice to the Living World
Our ecosystems are under pressure, yet their voices remain largely absent from the decisions that shape them. Te Ririki o Te Taiao aims to change that.
This iwi-led initiative empowers people to become Te Taiao (ecological) advocates – reconnecting with the natural systems we depend on while gaining the knowledge and confidence to influence environmental decision-making. Across our region, choices about land use, biodiversity, freshwater, and coastal environments profoundly affect the living world. Yet local communities, Indigenous knowledge holders, and Nature itself are often sidelined.
We're bridging this gap through innovative workshops and engagement initiatives based on the Interspecies Council framework focused on giving taonga (endemic species) trying to survive in our forests, estuaries, and streams a voice in decision-making. Participants will discover local species and habitats, understand ecological relationships, and learn how to advocate for Nature in governance processes alongside cultural experts and community leaders.
Your support funds educational resources, facilitation guides, community workshops, youth engagement, and multimedia content – all freely available for schools, tribal members, environmental groups, and decision-makers.
By project's end, we'll have trained environmental advocates and kaitiaki, created practical engagement tools, and developed a replicable model. Together, we're ensuring Te Taiao has a stronger voice in decisions about its future.
Project updates
Team
Giving voice to taonga in the Waitao catchment and beyond
Ngāti Pūkenga Iwi ki Tauranga Trust is the mandated iwi organisation representing Ngāti Pūkenga within Tauranga Moana. The Trust works to protect and restore the cultural, environmental, social and economic wellbeing of our people and our ancestral landscapes. Our work spans freshwater restoration, biodiversity protection, cultural heritage management, mātauranga Māori revitalisation, environmental monitoring, rangatahi development and sustainable economic initiatives. The Trust works alongside whānau, hapū, schools, researchers, community groups, neighbouring iwi and local authorities to restore the mauri of whenua, wai and taonga species. Through a kaitiakitanga-centred approach, we seek to reconnect people with place while building long-term stewardship of ecosystems for future generations.
Project story
Te Ririki o Te Taiao: Giving Voice to the Living World
Our ecosystems are under pressure, yet their voices remain largely absent from the decisions that shape them. Te Ririki o Te Taiao aims to change that.
This iwi-led initiative empowers people to become Te Taiao (ecological) advocates – reconnecting with the natural systems we depend on while gaining the knowledge and confidence to influence environmental decision-making. Across our region, choices about land use, biodiversity, freshwater, and coastal environments profoundly affect the living world. Yet local communities, Indigenous knowledge holders, and Nature itself are often sidelined.
We're bridging this gap through innovative workshops and engagement initiatives based on the Interspecies Council framework focused on giving taonga (endemic species) trying to survive in our forests, estuaries, and streams a voice in decision-making. Participants will discover local species and habitats, understand ecological relationships, and learn how to advocate for Nature in governance processes alongside cultural experts and community leaders.
Your support funds educational resources, facilitation guides, community workshops, youth engagement, and multimedia content – all freely available for schools, tribal members, environmental groups, and decision-makers.
By project's end, we'll have trained environmental advocates and kaitiaki, created practical engagement tools, and developed a replicable model. Together, we're ensuring Te Taiao has a stronger voice in decisions about its future.
Project updates
Team
Location
New Zealand
Round 3
Jul 1-21, 2026
Supporting community-led nature projects around the world.
Matching funds provided by
