PILOT #1 Prove a new co-investment model for regenerating indigenous biodiversity

Listed by
Pilot site
Te Kautuku Rangitukia, Tairāwhiti, NZ
Led by
Rangi & Esther
Rangi
Esther
$ funded
MAHI Target:

The Projects Support this regenerative action at Te Kautuku

The Ambition Unlock new investment & revenue for regenerative action

The challenges

Indigenous land under collective ownership has limited access to traditional finance
Land managers must balance kaitiakitanga (guardianship and protection of land) with economic growth
Indigenous communities safeguard 80% of the world's remaining biodiversity but they can unlock limited financial value for historical and ongoing protection efforts

Solutions being piloted

MAHI sales provide investment and funding opportunities without using the land as a security
New revenue for landblocks by selling claims that prove positive biodiversity, emissions and water outcomes
A new financial system that values the regeneration of land and historic efforts to protect the whenua
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Member on the list
Member on the list
1,889 already on the list

The Pilot Site About Te Kautuku

Te Kautuku is a 930ha Māori land block on the far East Coast. Its natural ecosystems range from lowland forests to dunelands, with wetlands and river systems connecting directly to the Pacific Ocean.

Over the last 20 years, operations have shifted from pastoral farming toward more sustainable land use options, including Mānuka oil production and apiary sites. Its remnant forest is a living example of what is possible by protecting and enhancing indigenous biodiversity.

The model being piloted at Te Kautuku has the potential to unlock a new revenue and investment for over 1.4 million hectares of whenua Māori in Aotearoa and indigenous land globally wanting to regenerate their ecosystems.

Logo Te Kautuku
Check out the work already underway

Latest Updates Air NZ and Te Puni Kōkiri first funders in Te Kautuku pilot

The Toha Network is proud to welcome the national carrier airline of Aotearoa and the Government's principal policy advisor on Māori wellbeing and development as partners in this globally innovative, cross-sector financing initiative demonstrating a new way to fund regenerative land-use.

Pilot supporters

Te Puni Kokiri

Te Puni Kōkiri

$482,000 funding for pilot projects
April 2024
Air New Zealand

Air New Zealand

$799,989 funding for pilot projects
May 2024

Support the pilot Invest, fund or donate MAHI

MAHI is a digital token that funds work for nature. Each one costs $26, an hour of work at the NZ living wage. You can buy MAHI as an investment, use it to target funding or donate MAHI to recieve a tax credit. Learn more

Sales target

$ funding required

MAHI equivalent

Join the MAHI presale

Need help Frequently Asked Questions

What will my MAHI purchase fund?

Approximately 85% of MAHI funding in this pilot directly funds frontline action at Te Kautuku. Approximately 15% funds pilot management and testing by the East Coast Exchange to ensure this is a replicable model for other whenua Māori blocks and farms around the country.

You can see a detailed cost breakdown in each project summary. Just click on a project here.

Why is the difference between funding, donating and investing in MAHI?

All types of MAHI fund action for nature and help grow the Toha Network.

If you invest in MAHI:

  • You will receive a Time Value of Action multiplier based on the date you invested
  • In the future, you can swap your MAHI for TOHA network tokens at this multiplier rate
  • You can use your TOHA to buy claims and access outcomes data or trade it on the secondary market
  • Holding TOHA also gives you governance rights in the Network

If you fund MAHI:

  • You can target your funding by action type, outcomes, location, land use or within your supply chain
  • You will receive an action report of what your MAHI has funded

If you donate to MAHI:

  • You will receive a charitable donation receipt
  • You can receive a 33.33% tax credit

Why does investing early in MAHI make it more valuable?

Based on the date you invest in MAHI you receive a Time Value of Action multiplier (TVA). The earlier you fund action, the higher the TVA.

In the future, when TOHA network tokens launch, you will be able to swap your MAHI for TOHA at this TVA multiplier. You can use this TOHA to pay for claims e.g. proof of carbon sequestration or biodiversity improvement and access the verifiable data that back this up. Alternatively, you can trade your TOHA on the secondary market to others who want to buy proof of outcomes or data access. Holding TOHA will also give you voting rights in the Network.

Buying MAHI is the only way to secure access to TOHA without bidding on the secondary market.

To learn more, have play with the MAHI-to-TOHA calculator.

Can I access MAHI to fund action on my land block?

Currently MAHI is only available to pilot projects that are being used to test the system.

As more MAHI is purchased and the model is proven, the pilots will be expanded to include more farms and land blocks.

Register you interest here in taking action on your land block and joining the pilot.

Who will buy access to claims and outcome data from land blocks like these?

Trusted data about what is happening in our environment is increasingly in demand.

Buyers of claims could include:

  • Businesses who need to report on their Scope 3 emissions, biodiversity or water quality impacts within their supply chains
  • Local and central government to measure national progress towards environmental targets like NDC1 or our biodiversity strategy and offer new incentives for achieving these outcomes
  • Organisations who want to fund positive outcomes as part of their ESG strategies
  • Banks and insurers who need to meet their climate-related disclosure requirements, offer impact-linked finance products or understand the risks and mitigation efforts of properties and businesses on their books
How can I access the data about the biodiversity or emissions outcomes achieved from these projects?

You will be able to purchase claims from land blocks to see the data and impact achieved. These will be supported by science-backed templates developed by experts. See the current list of claim templates prioritised for development here.

You will need to buy these, in future, with TOHA network tokens. You can secure access to this today by purchasing MAHI. The earlier you invest, the higher your Time Value of Action multiplier is and the more TOHA you receive.

Project

Funding status

Total:

Funders

Pilot Site

Project costs 5 Year Budget*
Total

Potential Claims

Beyond the frontline action to enhance biodiversity, the purpose of this project is prove that doing this work can unlock new revenue for whenua Māori through the sale of claims.

Claims provide verifiable data about action and outcomes achieved on the land. The potential claim sales being tested in this project are:

    Claims templates are developed by scientists and experts. The funds to develop these templates are being raised as part of a seperate MAHI sale.

    Sign-up and join the network presale

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