Ngā Kōrero 2025 - how we plan to transition into the future.

Ngā Kōrero 2025, the biannual Māori forestry summit took place at Rotorua on the 20th & 21st November. It was a wonderful celebration of the launch of the Māori forestry strategy and some of its implementation pathways.

Ngā Kōrero is now a regular event that will take place every two years, helping Ngā Pou a Tāne members to push forward under He Rautaki Ngahere Māori 2040 towards a critical mass of Māori forestry excellence.

This year was a gathering where Māori forestry met with other Indigenous forest leaders, practitioners, and partners to celebrate the learnings and aspirations that matter to Māori landowners. Held in the spirit of whakapapa and collective responsibility, Ngā Kōrero created space for lived experience, hard-won lessons, and bold visions for the future of forestry in Aotearoa and beyond.

The uplifting kōrero reflected both challenge and renewal—from recovery after Cyclone Gabrielle to the steady, long-term work of transition forestry on whenua Māori. Through these stories, a clear message emerged: forests thrive when the people who care for them are supported, recognised, and connected.

Ngā Kōrero 2025 also strengthened international relationships, welcoming Indigenous partners who share a commitment to living forest economies and intergenerational stewardship. Across kōrero, wānanga, and celebration, the kaupapa reaffirmed that excellence in forestry is not only measured in outputs, but in relationships, integrity, and care.

Ngā Kōrero 2025 stands as a reminder that when we listen deeply—to forests and to each other—we create pathways for regeneration, leadership, and hope that will carry forward for generations.

Reports, acknowledgements, images, video, and presentations from the summit are here Ngā Kōrero 2025