Why Rongoa Whenua – Medicine Land ?
Rongoa Whenua is inspired by the practices of KEA, Kuaotunu Environment Action group. KEA has a network of landowners supporting each other in trapping and kiwi protection, without the use of poisons.
If you are protecting the medicinal properties of the plants on your land, you are protecting the whole ecosystem. You are protecting the highest standards of purity, te mauri o te whenua, the life-force of the land. So Rongoa Whenua refers to the environmental standard of safe plant medicines and safe food for the people.
Hunting for food and gathering of plant materials for medicine need safe, un-poisoned, pure environments. Like “100% Pure”, except it’s the real thing!
Rongoa Whenua landowners aim to create and support thriving, healthy ecosystems. Any culling of species to manage smother species, will be done humanely without the use of poisons. We want to support each other in practicing compassionate conservation not chemical, inhumane conservation methods. We aim to be the guardians and caretakers of land that has a biota which can be used safely for medicinal purposes,(requiring the highest standard of environmental purity).
In advocating poison-free land management practices, we are doing what is already enshrined in NZ legislation: the Purpose of the Resource Management Act is to enhance the quality of air, soil, water and ecosytems. ( Resource Management Act.Section 5)
We aim to support each other by setting up a network to share our knowledge, skills and experience.
Ma te huruhuru te manu karere ” “It is the feathers that enable the bird to fly
Coromandel Our Backyard 