“He iti, he pounamu” is a whakatauki or saying which means “Although it is small, it is precious”. For me this whakatauki speaks to the responsibility we have to protect our te taiao, our precious ecosystem. Every bird, island and waterway plays a part in keeping our planet healthy. We’re part of that ecosystem too. The most important role we can play to protect te taiao is to reduce our carbon emissions dramatically and with urgency. We need strong leadership who will take brave steps to protect what is precious for our future. For future generations to know the beauty of te taiao as we know it, we must act now.

He iti, he pounamu. Although it is small, it is precious.