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Tāmata Hauhā

Blair Jamieson on LinkedIn

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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