Reclassifying stewardship land
the whenua and our connection to it is inextricably woven through our whakapapa. It carries our stories of creation, warfare, marriage and times of change. Our relationship with Te Ao Tūroa was at the very heart of Te Kerēme, and much of the Ngāi Tahu Settlement gives expression to our relationship with the whenua. Kaitiakitanga (stewardship) is expressed in many ways. The responsibility of kaitiakitanga is felt deeply by our whānau and rūnanga because our landscape and its resources are the main inheritance we will leave future generations. Recently the Department of Conservation (DOC) announced its intention to reclassify stewardship land throughout Aotearoa to better protect conservation areas that are home to threatened species and high priority ecosystems. Stewardship land is the term given to land allocated to DOC when it was established in 1987. It includes former State Forest and Crown Land considered to have conservation value. More than 2.5 million hectares, or 9 percent of our land mass, is currently classified as stewardship land. Most is in the South Island, with a large proportion in Tai Poutini. Approximately 35 percent of public conservation land in Tai Poutini is stewardship land, totalling 1 million hectares. Reclassifying stewardship areas is complex and time consuming because of the sheer amount of land, the assessments that need to be undertaken, and potential survey needs and associated high costs. Given that a large proportion of the Ngāi Tahu takiwā is made up of stewardship and public conservation land, this reclassification process is of extreme significance to Ngāi Tahu. A Ngāi Tahu mana whenua panel will work with DOC, two national panels, and Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allan during a review of stewardship land within the Ngāi Tahu takiwā. Members of the mana whenua panel include: Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio Chair, Paul Madgwick; Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura Cultural Pou Chair, Maurice Manawatu; Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae Chair, Francois Tumahai; and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu representative, Gail Thompson. As a kaitiaki of their rohe, 46 ı TE KARAKA
DO C Oper atio ns Regio n Ste war dsh ip L and - Nor the rn S outh Island Region Nationa l p ark 0
50 km
Con ser vation par k, spe cial ly protecte d a rea Reserve
Stewardship Land Northern South Island
Not for pu bli ca tion nor n a viga tion | 1 :1,0 0 0,0 0 0 Crown C opy righ t R ese rv ed | DOC , Geos pati al Se rvi ce s | 1 1 /0 5/ 20 2 1
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Nā HANNAH KERR
