Turn on the water works

Summer means water play, so naturally we attune beaches and boating – but now’s the time to extend our pool of thought. New Zealand boasts more than 300 estuaries – biodiverse hotspots which have a huge cultural, social and economic impact. And, one such marine environmental scientist is intent on lifting their game in the name of climate change and cultural recognition. Whakatāne-born Shari Gallop, a senior lecturer at the University of Waikato in Tauranga, has received global recognition for her scientific work in and around estuaries and waterways. She is also on the steering committee of Te Ahu o Rehua – a network for crosscultural ocean knowledge, and last year she was awarded the L'Oréal/ UNESCO For Women in Science fellowship for her research. With much of her science career spent offshore, the past two years on home turf has gifted the opportunity to connect with her whakapapa – Ngāti Maru, Te Rarawa – and strengthen holistic approaches to estuary health and climate change – weaving multiple knowledge systems together, not just western science.

“In general estuaries have not been sufficiently valued. In saying that, I think it’s important to recognise that many indigenous peoples around the world (including here) have

 Dyani Van Basten Batenburg long recognised the importance of estuaries and other environments. There has been some positive steps here to weave mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) with environmental science, management and planning but I think much more could be done,” explains Shari. “Across many of our estuaries there has been extensive drainage and conversion of their wetlands to land, and many are degraded from practices in the catchments. In terms of climate change, research shows that mangroves, salt marsh and sea grasses in estuaries – and their sediments – can remove and store even more carbon than some forests.”

To aid restoration where it’s needed most, estuary preservation needs to go beyond just picking up the odd bit of rubbish. “I think we’re increasingly recognising the impacts of past decisions (and sometimes mis management) across many of our

environments. There are many practical things individuals and whānau can do and there are plenty of awesome community groups doing great work to get involved with, for example there are many around Tauranga Moana and the Maketū Ōngātoro Wetland Society (MOWS) also run regular working bees.”

On the topic of mangrove dominance in estuaries – and the stay versus remove quandary – it remains controversial. “Mangroves are native here but we are seeing them expand and grow more in places where they didn’t used to be. This is mostly thought to be due to increased mud and silt input into estuaries from bigscale land-clearing after Europeans arrived, which caused muddy tidal flats to expand. Expanding

mangroves can reduce other types of habitats such as salt marsh and sea grass, thus altering the ecosystem. But it’s important to remember the

counter-balance that mangroves can help protect us from storm surges and large waves and stabilise the coast (important with sea level rise) and store carbon,” explains Shari.

As with any industry, the challenges Shari faces go beyond surface deep. “In my work, I have found it challenging to position myself as a predominantly Western-trained scientist of mixed heritage, as it feels like walking between two worlds at times with no map. However, the more I put myself in Māori spaces and the more I learn, it’s really helping inspire my work in science to find better ways to care for our marine environments.”