title: Community Based Coastal Monitoring: Developing Tools For Sustainable Management

authors: Rickard, Darcel

subjects: Science

abstract: Burgeoning coastal development, recreational use, and the future affects of climate change are placing increasing strain on regulators to manage risk associated with coastal hazards.  Low-lying coastal communities in particular are vulnerable to a range of natural hazards including coastal erosion, storm surge inundation, tsunami and water safety that come with varying levels of risk to life and property. New Zealand's coastal hazard monitoring network is patchy and resources are limited. As a consequence there is considerable potential for coastal communities are going to need to take a more active role in monitoring their environment and building data bases and knowledge that can be used to better manage their coast. This paper describes simple methodologies based on the needs of various community groups and sound science principles that can be used to monitor beaches and the coastal environment. By employing these tools councils, technical experts and community groups will be able to make better-informed decisions for managing activities in the coastal environment. 
One of the keys to the successful uptake of a monitoring programme by a community group is its relevance to the group. The programme and the tools provided must fit the interests, needs, capability and resources of the group. This project develops tools for coastal monitoring and targets coastal community groups such as Coast Care, Coastal Hapu, Secondary Schools, and Surf Life Saving Clubs. The monitoring methodologies have been developed in consultation with Tainui ki Whaingaroa hapu, Raglan Area School, and the Waikato Beach Care and Coast Care Bay of Plenty.
Successful methodologies for measuring changes on the coast are also those that are matched to the type of beach, use appropriate equipment, collect structured data, provide data to which analysis can be applied, incorporate local knowledge of the environment, and feed results back to the community and other interested parties such as councils and science organisations. This project provides the target groups with simple monitoring methodologies, field forms/checklists, and appropriate survey and measurement equipment (which have undergone field trials) to carry out coastal monitoring.  A web-based facility has been developed to input, check and store data; and provide immediate feedback using graphs and images. It also provides background information on coastal processes relevant to monitoring programmes.  In this manner, a scientifically robust data set is collected and stored within a secure and future proofed archive, providing valuable information to coastal groups for years to come.
Although the primary objective of this research is to develop a means for coastal communities to monitor changes in their environment, there are additional benefits associated with engaging communities in the study of their environment. These benefits include increasing awareness of coastal hazards, capacity building, providing valuable educational resources, and improving the temporal and spatial data coverage of information for the New Zealand coastline.

text: Community Based Coastal Monitoring: Developing Tools For Sustainable Management Burgeoning coastal development, recreational use, and the future affects of climate change are placing increasing strain on regulators to manage risk associated with coastal hazards.  Low-lying coastal communities in particular are vulnerable to a range of natural hazards including coastal erosion, storm surge inundation, tsunami and water safety that come with varying levels of risk to life and property. New Zealand's coastal hazard monitoring network is patchy and resources are limited. As a consequence there is considerable potential for coastal communities are going to need to take a more active role in monitoring their environment and building data bases and knowledge that can be used to better manage their coast. This paper describes simple methodologies based on the needs of various community groups and sound science principles that can be used to monitor beaches and the coastal environment. By employing these tools councils, technical experts and community groups will be able to make better-informed decisions for managing activities in the coastal environment. 
One of the keys to the successful uptake of a monitoring programme by a community group is its relevance to the group. The programme and the tools provided must fit the interests, needs, capability and resources of the group. This project develops tools for coastal monitoring and targets coastal community groups such as Coast Care, Coastal Hapu, Secondary Schools, and Surf Life Saving Clubs. The monitoring methodologies have been developed in consultation with Tainui ki Whaingaroa hapu, Raglan Area School, and the Waikato Beach Care and Coast Care Bay of Plenty.
Successful methodologies for measuring changes on the coast are also those that are matched to the type of beach, use appropriate equipment, collect structured data, provide data to which analysis can be applied, incorporate local knowledge of the environment, and feed results back to the community and other interested parties such as councils and science organisations. This project provides the target groups with simple monitoring methodologies, field forms/checklists, and appropriate survey and measurement equipment (which have undergone field trials) to carry out coastal monitoring.  A web-based facility has been developed to input, check and store data; and provide immediate feedback using graphs and images. It also provides background information on coastal processes relevant to monitoring programmes.  In this manner, a scientifically robust data set is collected and stored within a secure and future proofed archive, providing valuable information to coastal groups for years to come.
Although the primary objective of this research is to develop a means for coastal communities to monitor changes in their environment, there are additional benefits associated with engaging communities in the study of their environment. These benefits include increasing awareness of coastal hazards, capacity building, providing valuable educational resources, and improving the temporal and spatial data coverage of information for the New Zealand coastline.

year: 2008

title: Whiti te rā: A guide to connecting Māori to traditional wellbeing pathways.

authors: McLachlan, Andre David

abstract: Māori health models, introduced in the 1980s, brought needed cultural worldviews to an otherwise monocultural health system. However, minimal changes have occurred. In mainstream practice, deeper cultural understandings and action-orientations of these models can be overlooked, to the detriment of Māori wellbeing.
In particular, Māori cultural concepts such as mauri ora (an active state of wellbeing) and a secure cultural identity are notable core wellbeing pathways that need further exploration. Using a systematic narrative literature review, 36 papers identified pathways that used core cultural activities for Māori wellbeing. A thematic analysis produced six themes or pathways towards wellbeing for Māori – te reo Māori: Māori language, taiao: connection with the environment, wairua: Māori spiritual beliefs and practices, mahi-a-toi:
Māori expressive art forms, take pū whānau: Māori relational values, and whakapapa: intergenerational relationships. Forty experienced Māori psychologists analysed the themes and offered expert examples practice pathways for Māori wellbeing. The six themes and feedback is presented in a visual image Whiti Te Rā with instructions for Māori practitioners to guide whai ora Māori (Māori clients) to explore their level of knowledge and comfort, and active engagement with Māori pathways to wellbeing. The model has potential for mental health policy, future research, curriculum development, and synthesising Māori knowledge towards wellbeing pathways.

text: Whiti te rā: A guide to connecting Māori to traditional wellbeing pathways. Māori health models, introduced in the 1980s, brought needed cultural worldviews to an otherwise monocultural health system. However, minimal changes have occurred. In mainstream practice, deeper cultural understandings and action-orientations of these models can be overlooked, to the detriment of Māori wellbeing.
In particular, Māori cultural concepts such as mauri ora (an active state of wellbeing) and a secure cultural identity are notable core wellbeing pathways that need further exploration. Using a systematic narrative literature review, 36 papers identified pathways that used core cultural activities for Māori wellbeing. A thematic analysis produced six themes or pathways towards wellbeing for Māori – te reo Māori: Māori language, taiao: connection with the environment, wairua: Māori spiritual beliefs and practices, mahi-a-toi:
Māori expressive art forms, take pū whānau: Māori relational values, and whakapapa: intergenerational relationships. Forty experienced Māori psychologists analysed the themes and offered expert examples practice pathways for Māori wellbeing. The six themes and feedback is presented in a visual image Whiti Te Rā with instructions for Māori practitioners to guide whai ora Māori (Māori clients) to explore their level of knowledge and comfort, and active engagement with Māori pathways to wellbeing. The model has potential for mental health policy, future research, curriculum development, and synthesising Māori knowledge towards wellbeing pathways.

year: 2021

title: Bitcoin forks: What drives the branches?

authors: Conlon, Thomas

abstract: Despite frequent Blockchain splits stemming from Bitcoin, few studies have examined the determinants of Bitcoin fork returns. In this paper, we investigate the relationships between the returns of Bitcoin forks and a range of common risk factors, including Bitcoin, currency, network and equity-based factors. From a statistical perspective, we find consistent and significant associations between fork returns, their Bitcoin counterparts, and equity markets. Other common factors, such as the equity small-minus-big factor and changes in the Japanese Yen, are found to have occasional links with fork returns. From an economic perspective, Bitcoin returns are the predominant driver of fork returns, accounting for essentially all of the explained variation. These findings are confirmed using orthogonalised common factors and with an alternative methodology, quantile regression. This research broadens our understanding of Bitcoin forks, indicating that a change in blockchain protocol is insufficient to sever links with the Bitcoin parent.

text: Bitcoin forks: What drives the branches? Despite frequent Blockchain splits stemming from Bitcoin, few studies have examined the determinants of Bitcoin fork returns. In this paper, we investigate the relationships between the returns of Bitcoin forks and a range of common risk factors, including Bitcoin, currency, network and equity-based factors. From a statistical perspective, we find consistent and significant associations between fork returns, their Bitcoin counterparts, and equity markets. Other common factors, such as the equity small-minus-big factor and changes in the Japanese Yen, are found to have occasional links with fork returns. From an economic perspective, Bitcoin returns are the predominant driver of fork returns, accounting for essentially all of the explained variation. These findings are confirmed using orthogonalised common factors and with an alternative methodology, quantile regression. This research broadens our understanding of Bitcoin forks, indicating that a change in blockchain protocol is insufficient to sever links with the Bitcoin parent.

year: 2024