A mapping resource has been launched to help iwi and conservation groups track their progress in restoring rivers, tāonga species and endangered animals.
A screenshot of the Māori land visualisation tool, showing historic vegetation and areas suitable for conservation. Photo: Manaaki Whenua / Fair Use
Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research have created a free, downloadable mapping software, that brings together publicly available data from the likes of Google and Land Information New Zealand.
The map allows people to see geospatial layers of landcover, vegetation, and rivers, and even help in identifying wāhi tapu.
Lead researcher Kiri Reihana says it's being used by Ngāti Rangi to help with their conservation efforts.
"It's a means to collate all the different information that's coming in to them so they can make informed choices and assessments on where they want to spend their effort, where they want to spend their pūtea, all those different things, it just gives you a means to visualise it.
First-of-its kind mapping resource launched
"We're working with Ngati Rangi on the kiwi rescue project ... we were bringin populations of kiwi together plus some of their trapping and trapline mapping that had been done by DOC as well as vegetation layers.
"Different information that was of interest to the iwi we mapped in GIS mapping, so you can add in different layers.
She said it was all about prioritising funding depending on which areas were more in need.
"We could see where we could target conservation areas such as riparian planting, all the different things that would contribute to the overall restoration."
"They can prioritise where they can spend their money because obviously they don't have a lot of money, they're applying for small bits in all sorts of different places."