Background
TITIRO-WHAKATIKA
Māori Adaptive Management
Remaining attuned and connected to the natural environment and making constant adjustment and improvements are core components of Māori environmental tikanga and kaitiakitanga. We call this adaptive management approach Titiro-Whakatika.
Titiro-Whakatika gives us the chance to observe what we are doing and what is happening. It helps us build a learning cycle for decision-making; a chance to build confidence in our own knowledge and lifelong experience on the land.
Preparation
The following steps will help when preparing and planning the schedule of actions for our land:
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The existing environment is supported by baseline measurement, past records, accounts, and monitoring.
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The extent of the environmental risk (including the consequences) is clearly identified.
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Effects that might arise from mitigations are addressed before they become irreversible.
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Each mitigation in the schedule is supported by effective monitoring.
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Thresholds are set that trigger remedial action(s) before the effects become damaging.
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Where catchment wide mitigation is undertaken, it is staged, and plans require certain criteria to be met before any changes to catchment activities can proceed.
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Mitigation actions must have an ability to be reversed in the event that the environmental steps are not meeting their expectations.
Illustrated Titiro-Whakatika diagram
Click to enlarge
Monitoring
Titiro-Whakatika will require the following review steps to occur:
1. Visual surveys after weather events
2. On-going farm risk assessment and evaluation of mitigation controls 1 – 5
3. Incident notifications by stakeholders, contractors, tenants, and staff
4. Routine farm inspections (quarterly maintenance and compliance)
5. Environmental data collated from monitoring data
6. Farm data collated from business units
7. Risk assessment for any new development plan
1.Wero - Risk Assessment
The first stage involves an assessment of the environmental risk of diffuse discharges of sediment, nitrogen, phosphorus, and microbial pathogens. These risk assessments focus on erosion management; riparian protection, sediment containment and farm infrastructure.
The initial screening for landscape & biophysical risks are based on climate, contour, and hydrological features on land.
The screening allows the location of existing & proposed farm locations to be evaluated based on risks for:
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Direct run off to surface water;
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Ongoing erosion to steep slopes, gullies, soils;
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Proximity of farm infrastructure to water bodies - including wetlands.
2.Tikanga - Balanced Decision Making
The relative priority of the risks (In terms of likelihood of occurrence, potential adverse consequences) is determined, while also considering:
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Current water quality;
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National Objectives Framework under the National Policy Statement for Freshwater 2020 (NOF);
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Our vision for Te Mana o te Wai.
The next stage in risk identification is the review of environmental performance indicators (tohu), which set out the desired outcomes after mitigation actions are put in place.
The final stage in the Tikanga step is the identification & alignment with future opportunities. This step encourages us to ensure our decision making is in line with plans for our imagined future: 5 years, 15 years, and 50 years ahead of today.
3.Mahi - Response
After planning and prioritising risks, identifying tohu, and ensuring our mitigation actions are aligned with our imagined future, we start to select relevant mitigation actions/options.
These actions and options are identified in the Mahi section of this plan.
We implement the actions while taking note of, and clearly defining the existing state as a measure or benchmark for any subsequent change.
4.Āta Titiro – Review and assess
As we apply the mitigation actions, we take note of the changes that unfold or arise over regular periods during the mahi phase. We note the progress of the action in relation to the change in tohu, and the likelihood of achieving the outcomes we are looking for.
Through observations we maintain, adjust, seek to improve action, intensify, or progress any successful actions, or we decrease intensity, or stop any ineffectual or unsuccessful actions.
Āta titiro requires us to observe patterns or changes that arise so that we have a clear idea or better picture of what is, or might be, going on and why. These observations and ideas assist and support the next round of risk assessment and goal setting.
The effectiveness of the IWP will be continually reviewed and revised if necessary. Additional mitigation methods are also to be added to the Titiro-Whakatika process based on farm and water quality observations and their effectiveness rating for change.
TOHU WAI
We are using tohu wai as baseline indicators for the catchment as a whole.
Tohu wai support a vital step in Titiro-whakatika. By investigating results and insights in water quality we expect to understand how effective different mitigation actions have been across the sub-catchment. This approach involves a cycle of planning, monitoring and management measures which aim to achieve short and long-term targets and ensure the environmental objectives are met.
QUALITY
Tohu (mitigation controls) are identified for each freshwater contaminant. If water quality meets or exceeds the control value, then our response will involve a series of escalating steps:
MAHI
WORK PLAN AND PROGRESS REPORTING
In focusing on the Action Steps it is important that the Trust break each step down to a series of specific and detailed project stages and task activities. A useful framework to ensure these steps and activities are detailed in sufficient detail is to consider the following PONO planning process:
Particular – specific and sufficiently described step (what, how, by when, who)
Ordered – process stages are measurable, detailed, stepwise, and timebound
Necessary – activities are relevant and directly connected to a specific process stage
Obtainable – each task activity is known/understood and achievable, there is sufficient capability/capacity and resource available
Using the PONO approach our Action Steps are planned out as follows:
Example only
Action Step 1: Monitor the quality of our water as it enters and as it leaves our property
Action Step 2: Determine our Te Mana o te Wai standards and practices
Action Step 3: All key riparian and wetland areas have management plans
Action Step 4: All key riparian and wetland areas have management plans
