Cadastral reform of indigenous land information and environmental sustainability in New Zealand

Abstract

New Zealand’s cadastral system has come under scrutiny in recent years, A sharp rise in the number of land claims by the country’s indigenous Maori, accompanied by historic environmental legislation, have prompted milk for cadastral reform. Although no consensus has yet emerged among experts about future cadastral reforms, land information mangers and Maori leaders generally concede the need for the overhaul of current land information management practices. However, any future reforms will have to reconcile seemingly incompatible goals, by being legally sound, culturally appropriate, and environmentally sustainable. Most of the land in New Zealand is subject to legislation enacted within the past decade, which incorporates concern for the issues of sustainability, as well as the Maori’s cultural values and ancestral rights. The presence of this legislation, and a growing capacity among Maori to be involved, both mean that Maori concepts of land management and sustainability are receiving increasing attention in New Zealand, and are likely to influence the shape of future cadastral reforms for Maori lands.