Scion has appointed Dr Tanira Kingi (Ngāti Whakaue, Te Arawa), who’s currently working with Māori landowners to find alternative ways to use their land, as its newest Emeritus Scientist. Scion’s former Research Leader in Primary Industry Systems is an agricultural economist with 30-years-experience working in the primary industry sector. Tanira says the current industry infrastructure for meat, milk and logging is taxing on the environment. “I see Māori landowners having a leadership role to change the status quo for the country because their focus is different to other landowners. Māori want to make the best decisions for current generations based on their responsibilities handed down to them by their tūpuna (ancestors). While at the same time being accountable to future generations; their children and mokopuna (grandchildren), who will judge their decisions.” Tanira and his team are working with land trusts and entities in Rotorua, Taupō and the East Coast of the North Island to model scenarios for alternative land use options that may work for their location, interests, capability and capacity. “Intensive agricultural production systems produce several negative impacts to the land, water, and to the air – emitting greenhouse gases, a major contributor to global warming. The agricultural …