Me Uru Rākau
We are engaging and enabling landowners and community groups to protect and regenerate priority ecological catchments.
A key part of this work is providing practical advice and support for biodiversity, water quality, mahinga kai, climate change mitigation and adaption, erosion control and connecting with nature.
In the first year of the Long Term Plan 2021-31 the proof-of-concept catchment was the Waiau Uwha in the Hurunui District. We have been working with communities to encourage them to participate in local protection and regeneration projects by providing technical advice, resources and removing barriers.
We support access to plants and required resources, such as fencing materials, to ensure they are available for projects at the right time and for the right time.
Through the Annual Plan 2022/2023 and 2023/24, funding of the Me Uru Rākau programme has been decreased, resulting in a significant re-phasing of the work in this programme.
How are we tracking on our Levels of Service?
As part of this Level of Service we will:
- 17.1: Support community engagement and participation in catchment-based protection and regeneration.
- 17.2: Monitor biodiversity outcomes against project objectives.
How are we doing: Detailed project plans for six ecological projects within the Waiau-Uwha catchment are progressing with on-the-ground work scheduled to start in quarter three. There are a further six projects in the Rakaia catchment which are progressing well.
Completed projects have photo points installed and will become part of our project effectiveness monitoring as the impacts of work completed becomes measurable.