About the Trust
Te Wairua O Te Moananui – Ocean Spirit is a registered Charitable Trust in Aotearoa/New Zealand, based in Northland on the beautiful Tutukaka Coast.
The Trust’s vision is: a healthy Ocean in which coastal ecosystems and human communities thrive in a harmonious, respectful and mutually beneficial relationship. A relationship which also recognises the Ocean’s own intrinsic value, beyond the benefits she provides humanity.
As the name suggests, the Trust also recognises and embodies the strong spiritual connection between people and the Ocean.
Our mission: to support this relationship through education, research, advocacy and practical learning programmes, as well as to support the development of community-based initiatives that encourage generationally sustainable practices within coastal and Ocean eco-systems.
Nurturing a respectful relationship with the Ocean is core to the Vision of the Trust and we believe this is most effective through practical participation. An example of this is the Trust’s Hauora Moana (Healthy Ocean) Community Monitoring Programme.
As a country with so many coastal communities, we care deeply about the health and wellbeing of our big blue back yard. But how many of us really know what’s going on beneath the surface of our favourite beaches, bays and harbours? Our diverse coastline is the ultimate ocean playground: swimming, surfing, sailing, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, waka ama – all on our doorstep. Our reefs, estuaries, mangroves and sea-grass beds also provide us with a huge variety of kai moana. But they can only continue to do so if we treat them with respect and take responsibility for their wellbeing.
Te Wairua O Te Moananui 