September 15, 2020
Ngāti Kuri takes lead role in Kermadec research
Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland Museum and Ngāti Kuri have secured a $13.3 million grant from the Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment’s Endeavour Fund for a joint research programme focused on Rangitāhua / Kermadec Islands.
The five-year programme will be led by Dr Thomas Trnski from the museum and Sheridan Waitai from the far north iwi.
It will focus on biodiversity and ecosystems with the aim of developing tools for iwi-led management of the Rangitāhua environment.
The island group halfway between mainland Aotearoa and Tonga is scientifically identified as one of only four pristine marine ecosystems on Earth that is fully protected, and as a result contains a fully functional ecosystem.
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