Protecting and nurturing our whenua
Kaitiakitanga
When we become landowners, we become kaitiaki for our whenua – building on a shared vision for the future. Find out how to participate, and learn about trusts and governance.
Governance roles and structures
Learn about the roles and structures involved in governing whenua.
Setting up a trust or governance structure
Find out what steps are involved in setting up a whenua Māori trust or incorporation.
Developing a strategy
To achieve owners' aspirations, trustees need to define the vision for the whenua and develop a strategy to achieve it.
Developing a business plan
Develop a plan around who will do what to achieve the strategic outcomes for the whenua, and how you will measure success.
Your trust's responsibilities
Trustees are responsible for a number of duties and obligations. If they don't meet these, they can be held legally accountable.
Running an effective trust
Running an effective trust involves more than just ticking the compliance boxes — these are the key extra steps to get you on your way.
Complying with rules and regulations
When you're ready to start work on the whenua, make sure you're meeting any regulations and have processes set up to keep whānau safe and well.
Protecting your whenua for the future
Placing a kawenata, or covenant, on your whenua is one way to protect the natural biodiversity of the land. Whānau can work with organisations like Ngā Whenua Rāhui and the QEII National Trust to set up a covenant.
Check how well your trust is doing
Good governance is key to a successful, stable, and healthy trust. Our governance health check tool can help trustees understand what’s going well, and offer guidance on how to get the best outcomes for both whānau and whenua.
Responding to COVID-19
COVID-19 continues to have an impact on the Māori economy. This is a time when Māori land owners and other businesses need information to help them make key decisions that will impact whenua and whānau.
Kōkiri
There are options available to support you if you want to develop or progress whenua Māori. Explore the potential of your whenua, and see how it can help whānau move forward together.