11 Reasons Why We Must Kōrero
The Tangata Whenua relationship with forest is unique to the world.
Whanau, Hapū and Iwi exercise mana whakahaere over more than 700,000 hectares of native forest, and 620,000 hectares of exotic plantation timber forest land with forest cutting rights gradually returning over time.
On a regular basis Māori landowners must review and implement national scale strategic intentions for the forests as many depend on them.
For 185 years Māori forest lands enabled others, He Rautaki Ngahere Māori 2040 charts a future where forests on our lands get results for te taiao, Māori landowners, and future generations.
60% of harvesting crews are Māori. 80% in the Central North Island. 34% of the forestry workforce, overall, are Māori. In sawmills Māori representation is as high as 90%. Although only 2% of the higher income bracket of the industry are Māori, we want this to change.
Māori forestry ingenuity, creativity, skill, and leadership must be used to improve Māori forests, lands, waterways, and economics.
Both native and exotic forests are chief enablers in a zero-carbon future, and New Zealand must transition to net zero by 2050.
Tangata Whenua prefer emissions reduction pathways which build onto their own mātauranga, customary relationships, kaitiakitanga practice, and resources. To deliver grass roots-inspired forestry models we must design, develop and innovate Māori forestry value chains.
Over 90% of Māori forests are either in New Zealand’s Kyoto Protocol account, or its nationally determined contribution to the Paris Climate Agreement. This is a collective asset that we must leverage for our future generations and others that depend on forest.
In 2022, leaders in government and corporate forestry, wood processing and energy embarked on a journey to significant industry transformation. We, as Tangata Whenua, must ensure we are not swept along with changes led by others but rather position ourselves to lead, influence and make forestry and wood processing better for our people and te taiao.
Ngā Pou a Tāne is establishing a delivery support system to help guide Māori landowners towards pivotal Māori forest value chain ownership, and financing for Māori forestry development.