Ki Uta Ki Tai - Braided river strategies
We're developing river-specific revival strategies for braided rivers across our region.
The strategies aim to:
- Pull together current plans and pathways for river revival across individual rivers
- Provide key actions to inform revival of the mauri of these waterways
- Focus efforts at a landscape scale (all-of-river from source to sea)
- Highlight and build the alliances needed to achieve revival of the mauri of these rivers.
We refer to these strategies as 'ki uta ki tai strategies'. The term ‘landscape’ in this context refers to scale i.e., from source to sea. The strategies include reaches, which provide smaller geographical context for individual projects within the river strategies.
Ki uta ki tai strategies are generally focused on the immediate river environment. While it is acknowledged that rivers are affected by the actions on the land in their catchments, and that these actions may be highlighted in the strategy, these are not comprehensive catchment plans.
This work is part of our Braided River Revival / Whakahaumanu Ngā Awa ā Pākihi programme.
Two strategies are currently underway:
Ashley River/Rakahuri Revival
We are developing a revival strategy for the Ashley River/Rakahuri catchment.
In 2022, the Rangiora Reach Masterplan was developed to deliver a cohesive landscape plan for a section of the Ashley River/Rakahuri.
The masterplan reflects around two years of conversation, consultation, feedback, workshops, and hui we’ve had with the community on future development and management of this area of the Ashley River/Rakahuri.
It will be used by agencies managing this land – Environment Canterbury and Waimakariri District Council, in collaboration with mana whenua and the community.
It also forms a reach in the Ashley River/Rakahuri Revival Strategy.
Ko te Whakahaumanu o te Rakitata Awa (Rakitata/Rangitata Revival)
The Rakitata Awa (Rangitata River) was once an area of incredible abundance, home to unique braided river plants and animals, habitats and ecosystems. Today, the mauri of the awa has declined due to human activities that have caused losses in water quality and biodiversity.
In 2019, Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua and the Department of Conservation (DOC), partnered to discuss aspirations for the Rakitata, which is one river included in DOC's Ngā Awa river restoration programme. We joined the partnership in 2020.
Tūruapō Our Vision: With our community we value, protect and restore the mauri (life force) of the Rangitata Awa, ki uta ki tai, mountains to sea.
Partners now include Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua, DOC, us, Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), Central South Island Fish & Game and Timaru and Ashburton District Councils.
A range of different projects are underway including a draft Restoration Strategy which is being developed to guide our mahi.
Get involved
If you’d like to be involved and help revive the mauri of braided rivers, please email BraidedRiverRevival@ecan.govt.nz to connect with our braided rivers team.
Reporting back
Our work programmes, and our reporting, are organised into five portfolios, with Levels of Service targets and key initiatives. Braided River Revival / Whakahaumanu Ngā Awa ā Pākihi has two levels of service. Read more about the BRR levels of service.