Tēnā koe,
Te Papa Atawhai (DOC) have received an application from Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research to renew their existing national research permit, originally issued in 2011, for a period of 10 years. We are asking you to consider any critical issues that may arise for your hapū from this application.
Application Details
The purpose of Manaaki Whenua is ‘Science for our land and our future’ to support Aotearoa New Zealand, in developing a sustainable relationship with our land through the delivery of science projects across a wide range of disciplines. To enact this purpose Manaaki Whenua requires access to both private and Public Conservation Land to carry out the vast number of research projects throughout New Zealand. MWLR conduct low-risk research projects that can involve several activities: from collecting samples of plants, soils, water, microorganisms and air, to research projects involving the catching and releasing of birds or trapping, marking, and releasing of pest species to monitor their behaviour, numbers and distributions. Research activities can also include the installation of a range of non-destructive ecological monitoring devices to aid in recording and measuring vegetation, animal signs, herbivory rates, pollination, and air/gases.
Treaty Partner Engagement
The applicant recognises that many mana whenua groups are inundated with requests for comment, so they would like to know if you wish to have additional consultation with them for every proposed research project or activity or if they want Manaaki Whenua to limit further consultation with them to only particular types of work, projects or taonga species. In essence, what level of engagement and/or consultation would you deem appropriate?
NOTE: If a national permit is issued, the Applicant would still have to notify DOC of any project it wants to undertake on PCL. A Letter of Authority would be issued from the local DOC district office to allow the research to take place. At this point we would inform the Treaty Partners whose rohe the research is planned to be on, of all relevant details.
We would be grateful of any critical issues and comments you may have by 30/5/25 after which we will compile all hapū responses and send to the national permissions team for processing.
Please contact Debbie Aubrook at daubrook@doc.govt.nz if you need any further details regarding this application.
Ngā mihi,
Lilli Crossland
Kaitiaki hapori whanui | Community Ranger
Bay of Islands Office – Pēwhairangi
