The Waikato River Settlement and Natural Resource Management in New Zealand

This paper examines the Waikato River Agreement in Principle by considering the implications of accommodating cultural values in natural resource management for the Waikato River and New Zealand. Economics will continue to play an integral part in the management of the Waikato River and natural resources in New Zealand. The settlement provides an opportunity to rethink how to incorporate Maori knowledge, cultural and social relationships, and social, cultural, and economic wellbeing in an integrated, holistic, and coordinated approach.