Undertaking a cultural health assessment of the site using the State of the Takiwā methodology involved assessing various sites across the whenua to determine the existing cultural and environmental health in line with whānau aspirations and values that connect the Coes Ford area with the wider Waikirikiri/Selwyn River and Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere.
The assessment methodology included:
- Traditional site status evaluation.
- Freshwater fish surveys.
- Evaluating accessibility to harvest mahinga kai.
- Conducting a cultural health index assessment.
- Stream health monitoring.
- Assessing the presence of native and introduced plant species.
- Determining actions to improve site health.
- An overall state of the environment report.
We identified patterns and trends and made recommendations for future restoration and monitoring of the wetland as it progresses.
The project aimed to enhance and transfer traditional Māori knowledge among whānau by fostering a deeper understanding of Coes Ford and its surroundings, ultimately fostering a profound connection to the area and empowering individuals to reconnect with the catchment.
