About
Blue Nature Aotearoa is a registered charitable trust, co-founded by Hon Nikki Kaye and Dr Nigel Bradly. Hon Nikki Kaye alongside, Kristen Gunnell, Hamish Forsyth, and Claire Amos currently serve as trustees.
Our mission is to “Restore ecosystems and create new biomass in oceans and coastal waterways through education, supporting and scaling social enterprises, new industries, and blue technology solutions.”
Blue Nature Aotearoa has set up premises for the secondary student cohort at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron and is building a thriving ecosystem of educators, scientists, technology experts, and partner organizations. Mulberry Grove Primary School is the first primary pilot involving Blue penguins and new technologies. Blue Nature Aotearoa is working to support Principal Ally Gibbs and her team, and students in delivering this project.
The initial focus is on delivering Blue Nature Youth Impact programs. We are working to ensure a comprehensive assessment and micro-credential program in areas such as emerging environmental technology, marine sciences, project management, and social impact. We expect to expand to a number of additional schools in 2025.
Our Objectives
Sustainability & Protection
Efforts focus on the protection and sustainability of the marine and overall environment through restoring and creating new biomass in New Zealand.
Supporting research on environmental issues, innovation, sustainable development, and business initiatives
Education & Technology
Environmental education to young people through the delivery of social impact projects in marine technology or blue technology.
Developing competency in emerging technologies e.g., artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, drones, and autonomous machines.
Partnerships
Partnership with Māori and iwi leaders is a priority for Blue Nature Aotearoa. We value environmental protection (taiao), innovation, and sustainability.
We want to collaborate with other organisations in oceans and waterways. The model involves partnerships with scientists, educators, and technology experts to help deliver high-quality environmental projects.
Goals
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Improve biodiversity & water quality
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Reduce NZ emissions through blue carbon
restoration projects
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Increase resilience to climate change
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Reverse threatened status of native species through blue restoration projects
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Increase biomass with projects in coastal waterways/catchments or ocean areas
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Grow education opportunities - provide primary and secondary school and kura kaupapa students with blue nature STEM / active restoration or learning opportunities
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Reduce education inequities in all schools and tertiary institutions involved with the Blue Nature Alliance
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Train future blue technology entrepreneurs
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Create or adapt new blue technology solutions to enable blue restoration and monitoring
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Grow the number of blue nature jobs to thousands more people and grow New Zealand’s blue economic activity
Youth Impact Programmes
Students work alongside community, business, science, and technology leaders on projects focused on restoring areas of our oceans, coastlines, and waterways.
We expect all secondary and primary students will gain new skills and knowledge of new technologies, project management, environmental science, and impact projects.
Secondary students in the Blue Nature Aotearoa Youth Impact programs are based in our new home inside the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in the Wynyard quarter. Primary School students work remotely.
This work involves individual or group student projects. The program centers around developing design thinking, the use of new technologies, and marine science.