In times of civil emergency, such as the 2012 Canterbury earthquake, marae have repeatedly demonstrated their ability to function as first responders. As exemplified by tangihanga (funeral protocols), marae have the agility and responsiveness to spontaneously accommodate large numbers of people through the provision of sleeping and cooking facilities. This research manifest as an Atlas provides a desktop audit of all Ngāti Awa marae in terms of their land, buildings and infrastructure. It is envisaged that by establishing this baseline, marae will then be able to increase their preparedness and resilience towards the risk posed by natural hazards including flooding, earthquakes, tsunami, and landslides.

Ka materahi ohotaha ana, pērā i te rū ō Waitaha 2012, āheitia ai ngā marae ki te tū hai uruparenga tuatahi.  E pēnei ana i ngā tangihanga, e tau katoa ngā marae ki ēnei tūāhuatanga katoa mō te minenga mā te kaha ki te whāngai me te manaaki i te tangata.  I putaina mai tēnei kaupapa hai mahere whenua e tātari ai i ngā marae o Ngāti Awa me ō rātau whenua, ngā whare me ōna punaha.  Ko te manako kia whakatakotohia tēnei pūtake kōrero, e āhei ana ngā marae te manawaroa ake i ngā take ohotata ā taiao, pērā i ngā parawhenua, te rū whenua, ngā tai āniwhaniwha me te horowhenua.