“There is increasing recognition that mātauranga Māori and working with Māori communities enhance our understanding of ecology and provide valuable perspectives and frameworks to guide research, management and policy development,” says Manaaki Whenua researcher and guest editor of the journal Priscilla Wehi. “The journal aims to combine and showcase the value of this knowledge.”
The journal includes an editorial and 13 papers from across New Zealand, with a focus on mātauranga Māori and how it is informing current and future research and decisionmaking in ecology.
NZ Journal of Ecology special issue cover, ‘Mātauranga Māori and shaping ecological futures'
It builds on the virtual issue ‘Ka mua, ka muri: the inclusion of mātauranga Māori in New Zealand ecology’ published earlier this year. A key theme is discussion on what constitutes a good partnership, which is an important shift from past discussions that have focused on the requirement to partner with Māori communities.
Manaaki Whenua researchers contributed at least three papers as first authors to the journal. These were in the areas of hangarau pūtaiao (technological science) and the development of a mātauranga pūtaiao mobile application; use of te reo and mātauranga Māori in taxonomy; and the use of Māori species names in science communication and reporting.