Tangata whenua from Aotearoa and Australia’s First Nations have gathered to share notes on battling an exotic invader.
Now, this indigenous fight against myrtle rust has been captured for posterity on video.
Whakakotahitanga i te Kaupapa | Unity of Purpose covers a cultural exchange in November drawing together indigenous people, researchers and public officials from both sides of the Tasman.
The short film weaves First Nations’ and Māori perspectives on kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and the interconnectedness of all living things.
Scion and Rotoiti 15 Trust released the video about the Rotorua hui including officials and members of the the Butchulla Nation (K’gari Queensland); the Gumbaynggirr Nation (Coffs Harbour, New South Wales) and the Bundjalung Nations (New South Wales).
Scion is a state-owned company carrying out scientific research into forestry.
Rotoiti 15 is one of New Zealand’s largest ahu whenua trusts (Māori land trusts) with about 16,200 shareholders and a $75 million asset base. It covers more than 8400 hectares of land planted in pine or native forest.
Trust chairman Arapeta Tahana said in the video the goal of mana whenua Ngāti Pikiao was to become guardians of their own rohe and whenua.
“That essentially means that we need rangers on the ground…that are monitoring and supporting restoration efforts.”
The trust and Scion work together to monitor the disease’s spread around the lakes area and to breed more disease-tolerant species starting with ramarama, rōhutu and their hybrids.
Myrtle rust, discovered here in 2017, is an airborne fungal disease affecting native plants including pōhutukawa, mānuka, kānuka, and rātā.
Symptoms include bright yellow or orange-yellow pustules on leaves, tips and stems ‒ it can stunt growth, damage fruit and even kill plants.
The time it takes to breed for resistance is a major challenge facing researchers.
A myrtle rust infestation on a ramarama plant.LANDCARE RESEARCH / SUPPLIED
Trees are slow-growing and the current research is only on small trees in pots. A multi-year programme is required to ensure the resistance is enduring.
The visit to Rotorua followed an earlier trip to Queensland and New South Wales last year by representatives from the trust and Scion.
That cultural exchange was captured in a video called Roots of Resilience released in March across all six Australian states.
- Stuff