“As tangata whenua we have a responsibility to provide for our people, respecting the fact that mana whenua resides with us and therefore are cognisant that all decision-making will flow back to us”.
Matene Blandford
-Founder Rata Forest Management Ltd
-Our Story
The story of Rātā me te rākau highlights the fundamental difference between conventional forestry and Māori forestry.
Rātā failed to acknowledge the spiritual rules and processes for felling the rākau, this had consequences which included all the flora and fauna of the forest. In Māori forestry, the forester and landowner work together to consider the wider whakapapa connections in time and space to arrive at a forest solution that is holistic and enduring.
Rātā follows a hands-on approach, blending Tikanga Māori wisdom with advanced forestry and land management science and services. This practical combination ensures that our land stewardship practices in New Zealand are culturally sensitive and environmentally conscious.
