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We’ve proven that it works — that you can invest in Māori land, generate real returns, and create meaningful change.
In today’s episode, I’m joined by Blair Jamieson, CEO and Co-Founder of Tāmata Hauhā, a New Zealand–based company leading the way in Māori land investment, carbon forestry, and sustainable land-use transformation. Blair shares how his background in government shaped the creation of this mission-driven organisation, which helps Indigenous Māori landowners unlock economic opportunities by developing under-utilised land into long-term, intergenerational assets that generate both social impact and financial returns.
We explore the realities and complexities of Māori land ownership and why building trust requires what Blair calls a “thousand cups of tea” approach — patient, relationship-centred engagement grounded in cultural respect. Blair explains how Tāmata Hauhā blends cultural integrity with commercial pragmatism, collaborating with more than 70 Indigenous groups to establish forests that deliver economic, community, climate, and biodiversity benefits.
Blair also breaks down New Zealand’s Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS), offering rare insights into how this compliance-based carbon market provides credibility, transparency, and liquidity unmatched by most voluntary carbon systems. We discuss the company’s investment model, expected returns, and its expansion into the Chatham Islands, where carbon forestry is reshaping remote communities and supporting nature-based climate solutions.
Chapters
00:00 – Welcome & Introduction
00:23 – Meet Blair Jamieson & Tāmata Hauhā
01:21 – What the Company Does
02:25 – Blair’s Background in Government
03:17 – Forestry as an Economic Enabler for Māori Land
04:12 – Working with 70+ Indigenous Groups
05:05 – Community Impact & Commercial Returns
06:11 – Māori Land Ownership Explained
09:39 – The “Thousand Cups of Tea” Approach
12:39 – Māori Leadership Within the Company
14:29 – History of Radiata & NZ Forestry
17:35 – Moving Beyond Pine Monoculture
20:06 – Nurse Crops & Native Regeneration
22:27 – NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) Overview
24:30 – How NZU Compliance Markets Work
31:51 – Carbon Prices & Market Dynamics
33:38 – Investment Model Explained
35:26 – Chatham Islands Projects
39:35 – Māori vs Moriori: Cultural Context
41:48 – Main Risks: Politics, Not Integrity
45:12 – What’s Next for Tāmata Hauhā
47:17 – Scaling & International Interest
47:51 – Final Advice for New Forestry Investors
Production team
Founding Director and Host: Shauna Matkovich - The ForestLink
Producer and Editor: Magdalena Laas - Unscripted Creatives
Sound library
Nature by MaxKoMusic/Soundcloud
Sopwell Woodlands and Scohaboy Bog SAC, Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary, IRELAND by wild_rumpus/Soundcloud
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