Meaning 'Collective action for our nature,' Kotahitanga mō te Taiao Alliance (KMTT) is a unique collaborative model of iwi, councils and government (17 partners in total), supported by The Nature Conservancy Aotearoa New Zealand based in the top of New Zealand’s South Island. It aims to restore and enhance nature across 3.4 million hectares of land and sea.
Māori traditionally managed the lands they lived on and waters they fished through an indigenous cultural system of guardianship known as kaitiakitanga.
Their management of, and relationship with, natural resources – fishing, cropping, hunting – were guided by Te Ao Māori/the Māori worldview, a holistic approach that recognises the interconnections between people and nature.
KMTT was founded on the principle that conservation can go faster alone but further together, and adheres to the principles and values of the Māori worldview as a guide in this journey.