Kotahitanga mō te Taiao

Working As One for Our Environment

For centuries, the Māori people lived undisturbed in Aotearoa New Zealand’s epic lands, rivers and coastlines. They exercised kaitiakitanga—an intricate cultural system founded on the belief that all people are guardians of nature, not mere consumers of its bounty. It is everyone’s responsibility to protect and maintain the natural world for future generations. This Indigenous world view guided how fish were caught, crops were planted, land was preserved and wildlife was protected.

Based on this philosophy and acknowledging that conservation can go faster alone but further together, 15 partners came together to form the Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Alliance, meaning “Collective Action for Our Nature.” The Alliance aims to get the best possible conservation outcomes for people and nature in Aotearoa’s Top of the South region.