IUCN Oceania adds Māori and Australian Indigenous bodies as members

IUCN’s Oceania office admitted Te Tira Whakamātaki from Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia’s National Native Title Council as Indigenous Peoples’ Organisation Members in July 2026. The additions are the first such member from Aotearoa New Zealand in Oceania and the second from Australia. IUCN says the move strengthens Indigenous knowledge and representation in conservation governance.

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Te Tira Whakamātaki, a Māori environmental nonprofit, works where science, storytelling and sovereignty meet. It safeguards land, water, treasured species, seeds, narratives and communities, and seeks to restore balance to the natural world. Its network includes guardians, researchers, teachers, emergency responders, storytellers and planners.

Australia’s National Native Title Council represents the native title sector and Traditional Owners nationwide. It champions their rights and concerns and seeks wider recognition of their lasting connections to Country, including land, water and cultural heritage. Both groups joined IUCN Oceania in July 2026, becoming the region’s first Indigenous Peoples’ Organisation member from A