Integrating Mauri into Stormwater Management
Wolfgang Kanz (Gisborne District Council)
David Wilson (Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Gisborne District Council)
Ian Ruru (Mauri Compass)
David Wilson (Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Gisborne District Council)
Ian Ruru (Mauri Compass)
Key issues facing New Zealand are the degradation of fresh and marine waters, the loss of meaningful connections with these waters, and decision-making processes that may not adequately integrate matauranga Maori, tikanga Maori and kaitiakitanga into water management.
This paper describes a tool that helps to bridge the gap between Western science and indigenous knowledge, enabling inclusive decision-making when it comes to the mauri of water, addressing a key issue for local authorities.
The paper specifically considers urban stormwater and how environmental attributes and consequences can be applied quantitatively and qualitatively to social, cultural, and spiritual values associated with the mauri of water.
While a water quality attribute can be scientifically measured (e.g. contaminant concentrations), the challenge is in interpreting how that attribute affects the community.
The assessment of mauri, a Maori-worldview applied concept of human wellbeing, provides an opportunity to address this issue.
The Mauri Compass offers a rigorous, defensible, repeatable and transparent people centred approach to assessing mauri, integrating matauranga Maori, tikanga Maori and kaitiakitanga with Western science attributes.
A robust assessment and reporting framework has been established to ensure the tool can be applied consistently, that it caters for varying scales of complexity and risk, results are auditable, and outcomes can be validated. The application of the tool requires partnering with whanau, marae, community groups, hapu, and iwi, following relevant customs and practices.
Attributes that are assessed as part of the tool relate directly to applied aspects of water bodies, wai values that affect people and relate to mauri. Through a collaborative process, the historical, present, future, and desired state of mauri of a water body can be determined – reflecting the understanding and aspirations of the community at a point in time. A mauri (of the water) benchmark can be developed, against which change can be assessed.
Potential applications include Iwi management plans, regulatory planning processes, projects of varying scales, community programmes, educational activities, monitoring programmes, and setting priorities / programme schedules.
In terms of regulatory processes, the tool can be effectively used within existing Resource Management Act (1991) processes. The effect of activities on mauri can be assessed alongside conventional effects assessments. Mitigation measures can be introduced to avoid, reduce or offset adverse effects on mauri. While the final outcome of the tool is an intuitive dashboard display, this is underpinned by a level of assessment (with rigorous processes, data, and reporting) appropriate for regulatory processes.
Three stormwater examples of application of the Mauri Compass in regulatory processes are provided, namely structure planning, individual consents, and monitoring. Connections between mauri and Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) are also explored.
KEYWORDS Mauri, tool, matauranga Maori, tikanga Maori, kaitiakitanga, stormwater, regulation
This paper describes a tool that helps to bridge the gap between Western science and indigenous knowledge, enabling inclusive decision-making when it comes to the mauri of water, addressing a key issue for local authorities.
The paper specifically considers urban stormwater and how environmental attributes and consequences can be applied quantitatively and qualitatively to social, cultural, and spiritual values associated with the mauri of water.
While a water quality attribute can be scientifically measured (e.g. contaminant concentrations), the challenge is in interpreting how that attribute affects the community.
The assessment of mauri, a Maori-worldview applied concept of human wellbeing, provides an opportunity to address this issue.
The Mauri Compass offers a rigorous, defensible, repeatable and transparent people centred approach to assessing mauri, integrating matauranga Maori, tikanga Maori and kaitiakitanga with Western science attributes.
A robust assessment and reporting framework has been established to ensure the tool can be applied consistently, that it caters for varying scales of complexity and risk, results are auditable, and outcomes can be validated. The application of the tool requires partnering with whanau, marae, community groups, hapu, and iwi, following relevant customs and practices.
Attributes that are assessed as part of the tool relate directly to applied aspects of water bodies, wai values that affect people and relate to mauri. Through a collaborative process, the historical, present, future, and desired state of mauri of a water body can be determined – reflecting the understanding and aspirations of the community at a point in time. A mauri (of the water) benchmark can be developed, against which change can be assessed.
Potential applications include Iwi management plans, regulatory planning processes, projects of varying scales, community programmes, educational activities, monitoring programmes, and setting priorities / programme schedules.
In terms of regulatory processes, the tool can be effectively used within existing Resource Management Act (1991) processes. The effect of activities on mauri can be assessed alongside conventional effects assessments. Mitigation measures can be introduced to avoid, reduce or offset adverse effects on mauri. While the final outcome of the tool is an intuitive dashboard display, this is underpinned by a level of assessment (with rigorous processes, data, and reporting) appropriate for regulatory processes.
Three stormwater examples of application of the Mauri Compass in regulatory processes are provided, namely structure planning, individual consents, and monitoring. Connections between mauri and Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) are also explored.
KEYWORDS Mauri, tool, matauranga Maori, tikanga Maori, kaitiakitanga, stormwater, regulation