Toka Ākau Toitū Kaitiakitanga - Focusing science and Indigenous Knowledge on building a sustainable future for coastal reef ecosystems and the communities that depend on them in Aotearoa New Zealand

The Tau ki Ākau - Ridge to Reef project, based in Aotearoa New Zealand, represents an innovative, multi-year initiative designed to enhance the sustainability and resilience of coastal reef ecosystems and the communities that have relationships with them

Tau ki Ākau employs a "Ki Uta, Ki Tai" or "Mountains to Sea" approach. This framework acknowledges the interconnectedness of ecosystems, from terrestrial to marine environments, by addressing the influences of upstream activities on coastal catchments. It also draws upon the diverse perspectives of the indigenous peoples whose world view connects ridges to reefs and mountains to sea. This means harnessing century scale knowledge systems of how connected marine environments ‘should’ operate.

Driven by a partnership between mātauranga Māori (traditional Māori knowledge) and scientific research, we present in this talk how integrating diverse intergenerational Knowledge Systems can address the significant environmental challenges facing marine habitats today. This collaboration is particularly urgent as Aotearoa New Zealand’s coastal ecosystems—such as kelp forests—experience degradation due to multiple-stressors especially increased sedimentation from land and rising marine heatwaves.  

The project not only highlights the ecological impacts of climate change and human development on marine biodiversity but also underscores the cultural relationship between mana whenua (indigenous communities) and their coastal surroundings. The project aims to secure the long-term health of coastal reefs by combining cutting-edge scientific tools with insights and investigative steerage from mātauranga Māori. These traditional perspectives offer deep-rooted knowledge on ecological resilience and interspecies relationships, fostering a holistic approach to ecosystem stewardship. By weaving together these Knowledge Systems, Tau ki Ākau aspires to create an adaptive “safety net” that can support coastal reefs amid current environmental stresses. This project underscores the importance of inclusive, knowledge-based frameworks to safeguard marine environments and their human stewards for current and future generations, offering insights that align closely with the One Ocean Science Congress vision of fostering sustainable and respectful relationships with the world’s oceans.