Project Partners

This research project is a collaboration between Dr. Steve Crawford, faculty co-sponsors University of Guelph and Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation in Canada, and the University of Otago which served as the base of operations for Crawford on his research leave in Aotearoa/New Zealand during the period September 2015 - March 2016.

Dr. Janet Stephenson, Director of the Centre for Sustainability served as principal colleague and good friend, providing scholarly support and senior institutional liaison for this research project. Dr. Henrik Moller, previous Co-Director of the Centre and mentor-friend, challenged me to maintain the highest of scholarly standards - and along with his charming partner Fiona, made sure I regularly had a home-cooked meal and the opportunity to engage in some old-fashioned ecosystem restoration.

Ms. Susan Davies, then Centre Manager guided me through the various administrative necessities, including (but not limited to): facilities, finances, research ethics, human resources, computing and communications. Ms. Nicki Topliss (Centre Administrator/PA) was invaluable for her assistance with travel and fieldwork preparations, equipment and logistics. Thanks to the Centre's research staff and students who made me feel very much at home there, and showed great interest in my research.

Dr. Chris Hepburn served as my primary sponsor in the Department of Marine Science, with support from then-Head of Department Dr. Abby Smith. Ms. Julie-Anne Parson was instrumental in helping to arrange for my monthly visits to Rakiura/Stewart Island, where I was very fortunate to find excellent accommodation at the Department's field research station.

During my research leave I was lucky enough to meet many kiwis who were kind enough to point me in the right direction, give me some valuable advice about who to try and engage with, loan me bits and pieces of this and that, and generally keep me on the straight and narrow. 

A variety of people helped with the transcription of interviews, including Owen Baker, Chloe Crawford and Julianna Van Adrichem and Jorge Hurtado-Gonzales. Special thanks to Sam Fraser-Baxter, who not only did yeoman's duty on the transcripts, but also accompanied me to several of the interviews and introduced me to Fat Freddy's Drop.

Finally, my greatest of thanks to the dozens of expert knowledge holders who took so much of their time to engage with me, and to share their special knowledge for the benefit of all.

This research was conducted under terms approved by the University of Otago Research Ethics Committee, Reference Code 15/148. All transcripts have been approved for release by the knowledge holders.