Gabriela Nuri Baron
on Design for Conservation and Systemic Regeneration
“Think of multi-species design. That’s what sustainability is: not a fixed state but an evolving conversation between all living beings.”
Gabriela Nuri Baron doesn’t just teach sustainability. She embodies it.
She doesn’t see it as a checklist, but rather as an ever-evolving, deeply rooted ecosystem: “Sustainability in my life would be a native forest: diverse, resilient, adaptive. It wouldn’t be a single flower but a system where different species coexist in balance.” Her philosophy blends ancestral wisdom with modern innovation, shaping a world where humans and nature thrive together.
Her life’s work is an ongoing conversation with nature, people, and place. A Design Strategist and Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland, she champions regenerative thinking: “If we shift from an extractive to a regenerative mindset, where we are in reciprocal relationships with land, waters, and each other, we can design systems that nourish rather than deplete.”
It all started with a deep sense of curiosity and an instinct for connection. Having worked across continents, she sees cultural and ecological diversity as a wellspring of innovation: “Observe before acting. Instead of arriving at solutions, start with questions. What does this land teach us? How can I be of service rather than impose?”
Design 4 Conservation, her methodology, is built on self-honesty and collaboration, engaging Indigenous and local communities to co-create solutions. Aotearoa’s superpower, as she reflects, lies in Mātauranga Māori, the holistic Indigenous knowledge system that sees all life as interconnected: “Mauri teaches us that everything—people, rivers, forests, even built environments—has an intrinsic energy that must be nurtured.”
Sustainability is not a problem to be solved but a bond to be renewed, as Gabriela dares us to rethink our role in the world and simply observe before acting: “Deep observation of people, places, and ecosystems, creates the foundation for meaningful change. Learn to walk the path of love and trust, start with yourself, then with the people around you, and extend it towards nature. Sustainability will come naturally!”
Read Gabriela’s answers for this edition of Blooming Sustainability and embrace her guiding vision: “Toitū te marae a Tāne, toitū te marae a Tangaroa, toitū te tangata.” (If the land is well and the sea is well, the people will thrive.)
BLOOMING Sustainability Questionnaire
Name: Gabriela Nuri Baron
Company & Title: Senior Lecturer and Researcher at The University of Auckland
Website & LinkedIn Profile:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielabaron/
* Guiding Values | Kaupapa
If sustainability were a flower blooming in your life, what would it look like? What nurtures it?
Sustainability in my life would be a native forest: diverse, resilient, adaptive, deeply rooted in place. It wouldn’t be a single flower but an ecosystem, where different species coexist in systemic balance. It would be nurtured by reciprocity, honest communication and time, honoring ancestral wisdom, and fostering relationships that regenerate rather than extract. Like in multi-species design, sustainability is not a fixed state but an evolving conversation between all living beings.
A quote, personal motto or whakataukī that reflects your vision:
"Toitū te marae a Tāne, toitū te marae a Tangaroa, toitū te tangata."
(If the land is well and the sea is well, the people will thrive.)
If you could mentor a rising change-maker in Aotearoa, what advice would you share?
-
Observe before acting. Deep observation of people, places, and ecosystems, creates the foundation for meaningful change. Instead of arriving with solutions, start with questions: What does this land teach us? How can I be of service rather than impose?
-
Be comfortable with complexity. The most powerful solutions are not always the simplest but the ones that embrace interconnection. Learn to work within natural systems rather than trying to control them.
-
Most importantly, don’t do it alone. Find your people, the ones who share your general vision and values. Change happens not through lone heroes but through committed, diverse, interwoven approaches.
* Leading Change | Arataki
A key moment in your journey that shaped your path:
Having children and starting to think like an ancestor for the generations to come.
What’s the main challenge you face in driving sustainability within your sector?
One of the biggest challenges is shifting mindsets from sustainability as a compliance-based checklist to a truly regenerative and relational approach. Too often, sustainability is framed as a set of technical fixes rather than a deep cultural and systemic shift. The challenge lies in encouraging institutions, businesses, and policymakers to move beyond short-term metrics and toward intergenerational thinking where sustainability is not just about minimizing harm but actively restoring and nurturing ecosystems and communities.
An area you need more support with:
Strengthening cross-sector collaboration through Methods and tools that allow stakeholders to integrate diverse worldviews, scientific research, and lived experience of local communities.
An Indigenous perspective you admire and want people to be mindful of:
Mauri: the life force present in all things.
Mauri teaches us that everything (people, rivers, forests, and even built environments) has an intrinsic energy that must be nurtured. When we design for conservation, we are not just working with resources; we are engaging with living systems that require care, reciprocity, and balance. If we embrace this perspective, sustainability is no longer about minimizing damage but about actively restoring and enhancing the vitality of the world around us.
Your best approach for engaging stakeholders in meaningful dialogue about ESG:
Start with place-based, participatory dialogue. Instead of bringing in pre-made frameworks, I’ve found the most meaningful ESG conversations emerge when we ground them in the realities of local communities. In the Design for Conservation approach, we use co-design methods that invite diverse voices, especially those historically marginalized, to shape the conversation. By fostering genuine relationships and shared storytelling, we move beyond transactional ESG reporting and toward transformative, values-driven action.
What do you think is Aotearoa’s superpower in creating a sustainable future?
Aotearoa’s greatest strength is its deep-rooted Indigenous wisdom and relational worldview. Mātauranga Māori offers a way of seeing the world that is holistic, regenerative, and inherently sustainable. Combined with the country’s innovative spirit and community-driven ethos, this creates a powerful foundation for designing a future where people, land, and waters thrive together.
* Surfing the Green Wave | Kakariki
Books, podcasts, courses or other resources that profoundly shaped your approach to sustainability:
-
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
-
Sand Talk by Tyson Yunkaporta
-
Emergent strategy By adrienne maree brown
-
This world class podcast for Spanish speakers! https://disenoydiaspora.org/
-
This one for ecological restoration https://forthewild.world/
Learning about Maramataka Māori - Learning to observe and align with natural cycles has deeply influenced my approach to sustainability.
Events in Aotearoa or globally that you think are must-attend:
This https://climateconnectnz.com/learn/he-kete-matauranga
A sustainable initiative or project in Aotearoa that deserves more attention:
Regenerative Tourism Initiatives – There are incredible projects where tourism is not an extractive industry but a tool for conservation and community well-being. Local-led projects, particularly those integrating mātauranga Māori, need more visibility and support.
Community-led Conservation Projects – Groups working on predator-free initiatives, native forest restoration, and freshwater protection, especially those working in partnership with iwi and hapū, deserve more recognition.
If your work could plant one seed of change for the future, what would it be?
That sustainability is not a fixed outcome but a living, evolving relationship. If we shift from an extractive to a regenerative mindset, where we are in reciprocal relationships with land, waters, and each other, we can design systems that nourish rather than deplete.
The leader(s) you endorse for a future edition of Blooming Sustainability:
Niva Kay: A powerful voice in regenerative agriculture, permaculture, and climate storytelling in Aotearoa (and my PhD student).
* One actionable takeaway for our readers to make a change today for a brighter tomorrow:
Learn to walk the path of love and trust, start with yourself, then with the people around you, and extend it towards nature. Sustainability will come naturally and easy.