Initiating open access licensing in the New Zealand Journal of Ecology to further promote ecological science and better align copyright with the intent of Te Tiriti o Waitangi

The New Zealand Ecological Society’s stated objectives are to: (1) promote the study of ecology and the application of ecological knowledge in all its aspects, (2) publish the New Zealand Journal of Ecology, and (3) foster collaboration and communication amongst ecologists. As such, the New Zealand Journal of Ecology will be moving to open access licensing to enable scientists, mana whenua, educators, journalists, and the general public to be able to more easily use the knowledge generated within the journal. Further, the Journal will adopt a copyright licensing model that allows authors together with the relevant knowledge holders to make their own choices about copyright. This is of particular importance with regard to mātauranga and copyright of, whether authors retain it themselves, or recognise the copyright belongs to an Indigenous community, or both of these options together.