Melanie Mark-Shadbolt on founding Te Tira Whakamātaki, biodiversity, indigenous knowledge and seed banks

Seeds

Melanie has a focus on preserving indigenous knowledge and highlighting the importance of mātauranga Māori and using that understanding to meet environmental challenges we face today. Her expertise in biodiversity and driving environmental outcomes are underpinned by an indigenous worldview. In this very wide ranging conversation we discuss all of that as well as colonialism and decolonisation, systemic change and also ... seed banking. But we begin with her story and background which included time spent in Oman and then moving back to Aotearoa New Zealand and founding Te Tira Whakamātaki. If you enjoy this why not subscribe and check out some of the hundreds of other interviews in the back catalogue.

Website: Home - TTW - Te Tira Whakamātaki

Her bio on the site:

Melanie Mark-Shadbolt is from Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairararapa, Ngāti Porou, Te Arawa, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Tuwharetoa, Te Atiawa, as well as Clans Macintosh and Gunn. She is an indigenous environmental sociologist and is the current the Kaihautū Chief Māori Advisor to the Ministry for the Environment, the Director Māori of NZ’s Biological Heritage National Science Challenge, and CEO of Te Tira Whakamātaki Foundation.

Melanie is a specialist in applying traditional knowledge to biosecurity and sustainable natural resource management. Her work has covered research in stakeholder values, attitudes and behaviours, social acceptability of management practices, risk communication and the wider human dimensions of environmental health. Melanie serves on a number of boards and national advisory bodies including; the Myrtle Rust Governance Group, Kauri Dieback Strategic Science Advisory Group, Rauika Mangai and Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Climate Change programme. She was previously the Māori Research & Development Manager Kaiārahi at the Bio-Protection Research Centre at Lincoln University, Ararau Coordinator for Ngāi Tahu tribal entity Te Tapuae o Rehua, and the Chair of Te Waipounamu District Māori Council.