Court hears of emotional toll of murk and mud

Scientist Shaun Ogilvie testifies at Ngāi Tahu’s freshwater case, highlighting the tribe’s connection to Wairewa and Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere and the degradation of waterways due to poor land management practices, with eutrophic conditions and Nodularia spumigena blooms in the lakes. Mahinga kai is crucial to Māori culture, linking environment, beliefs, and identity, but faces threats like deforestation and dam construction hindering fish migration. Wetlands, considered treasures, have been depleted by 90% in the last 150 years, impacting biodiversity and water purification processes essential for mahinga kai.

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