Following New Zealand’s treaty settlement of Maori land in recent times, there is a challenge to advance not only the economic, cultural, social and environmental outcomes when the land is so fragmented by geographic isolation and in often inaccessible landscapes.

With research that is the first of it’s kind to take a multidisciplinary approach, it was important to the authors of ‘Heartland Strong’ that not only was the research to be ‘participatory and integrative’ but more relevant for people who are not going to be read in scientific journal papers. 

In this episode, host Denise Bewsell, speaks to Alec McKay,  Principal Scientist at AgResearch and Bonny Hatamai, Project Manager for the Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust.

They discuss :

• How to unlock the potential of Maori land ownership across pastoral, indigenous vegetation & forestry when 1.5million hectares of Maori Land is in 160,000 parcels is of less than 10ha in size

• The work of AgResearch and the Maori land trust working together to reconnect the individual land parcels to reconfigure under one farm management operation 

For the transcript and video of this episode, please visit: https://www.agresearch.co.nz/resilient-rural-communities

To purchase your copy of the book :

https://www.amazon.com/Heartland-Strong-Zeland-change-thrive-ebook/dp/B07XLCZJS9