Kaitiaki Pounamu Southern Regional Committee is a collaborative project between the seven southern Ngāi Tahu papatipu rūnanga, with the support of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, the Department of Conservation and Te Puni Kōkiri.

The project, now in its third year of a possible seven years, surveys areas within the Wakatipu wāhi area of the Southern Alps and records geological information in relation to the presence of pounamu and of archaeological evidence of Māori occupation and rock shelters.

The project aims to provide detailed information to the seven rūnanga to assist them in their role as Kaitiaki Rūnanga.