Balancing future land use decisions: Embracing co-design in the Pohewa Pae Tawhiti (PPT) research program

In many parts of the world, land-use planning faces increasing pressure to deliver outcomes that are environmentally sustainable, culturally responsive, and socially just. Yet conventional, often technocratic approaches can overlook the place-based values and lived realities that shape decisions. These limits are particularly evident in Indigenous contexts, where relationships with land are closely tied to identity, governance, and long-term stewardship. In Aotearoa New Zealand, for example, Māori land governors must balance environmental, economic, and cultural goals within a distinctive tenure system. However, most existing decision-support tools prioritize production and short-term returns, often overlooking community values and intergenerational aspirations. To address this gap, the Pohewa Pae Tawhiti (PPT) (Visualising Horizons) research program, led by Te Arawa Arataua (Te Arawa Primary Sector Inc.), developed a co-design approach that integrates Māori cultural knowledge and mātauranga Māori (the Māori worldview and system of knowledge) with scientific tools and planning methods. This paper reflects on the co-design process behind the PPT framework, sharing practice-based patterns that emerged through iterative reflection, shared leadership, and culturally grounded facilitation. By positioning Māori land trustees as co-creators from the outset, the program developed a framework that supported decisions aligned with broader and longer-term outcomes. The experience offers a context-specific but transferable contribution to co-design practice, particularly for Indigenous and place-based initiatives seeking to align land-use planning with environmental, cultural, and social goals.