Jared Hiakita hails from a small rural settlement in Aotearoa (New Zealand) called Waimana, which sits on the northern edge of a stunning forest called Te Urewera. This place sustained and nurtured his ancestors for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years and is where the seeds of his commitment to the environment were sown. Jared has a background in community development, arts and education, however from a young age he has been involved in conservation in some shape or form. Now Jared lives in the Far North of Aotearoa, where he represents a group called Para Kore (Zero Waste). With Para Kore, he travels throughout indigenous Māori communities and provide education and resources to allow them to tread more lightly on Papatūānuku (Mother Earth).