Te Kūwaha and Māori

A four-year research programme focused on the co-management and restoration of our freshwater taonga species.

In collaboration with the University of Waikato, the CKS team has also supported five graduate students and three summer research scholarship interns through a variety of practical experiences.

This programme developed approaches to enable the recognition and prioritisation of cultural keystone species (CKS) in co-management, restoration and monitoring to help sustain the social, economic and ecological health and wellbeing of Aotearoa-New Zealand’s freshwater ecosystems.

Research projects within the Cultural Keystone Species programme where Mana Whenua undertake the fundamental research required to inform their unique responsibilities as kaitiaki.

New ways to communicate the state and trends of taonga populations.

What does science tell us about New Zealand's migratory galaxiids?

Report: Trends analysis for selected indicators of Waikato River health and wellbeing 2010-2019

Alex Fear looks at the Cultural Keystones Species research programme, a research partnership that grew out of the vision of a Ngāti Hau kaumatua.

What does science tell us about New Zealand lamprey?

NIWA's Te Kūwaha Graduate Internship Programme has been established to help address the growing need for scientific skills combined with capability in mātauranga Māori, while supporting and creating visible pathways for the next generation of Māori researchers.

A new study has identified seven freshwater species native to Aotearoa-New Zealand that will likely be highly or very highly vulnerable to climate change.