Whakamana te Waituna

Welcome to Whakamana te Waituna - Newsletter 1, August 2018

“Whakamana te Waituna is about reciprocation – we’re all into it together and we’re giving back to the land, and when we do that we’re going get that back, and that’s what mana is,”- Whakamana te Waituna co-chair Dean Whaanga.

A public meeting was held on June 21 at the Gorge Road Country Club – if you couldn’t make it, here’s some information on what’s happening:

The Whakamana Te Waituna Charitable Trust – is how the Waituna partners will work together.
Funding - $13.3 million (5 years)
The partners and the Ministry for the Environment have contributed

The programme is a framework for the plan for the catchment. We’re Looking to hit the sweet-spot so farmland can do what it needs to do, and the lagoon and catchment are in good health – recognising that a land buffer is needed inbetween.

“A lot of work from the Waituna community and the respective agencies under the Waituna Partners banner has made a great start to improving freshwater management in the catchment,” - Whakamana te Waituna co-chair Lloyd McCallum.

“The programme arose out of the partners’ strategy and action plan – this was brought together with community input. As work streams take shape, community involvement will be crucial,” – Environment Southland director of operations Jonathan Streat.

Work programme - Specific aims

Improve water quality in the catchment
Support cultural aspirations
Protect Waituna Lagoon
Test at a larger scale land-use practices and systems for sustainable-farming

We want to show in the Waituna Catchment we are able to be productive and care for one of our country’s most important wetlands.

What’s been happening?

Developed a fundable proposal with the Partners - Feb 2017
Applied for funding - Freshwater Improvement Fund, Ministry for the Environment (MfE) – March 2017
Refined the proposal - July to October 2017
Negotiated a funding Deed - October 2017 to May 2018
Established Trust - January to March 2018
Established how the partners Groups will work in the Trust arrangement – April 2018
Signed a Funding Deed with MfE - May 2018
Finalising Trust status and structure - June 2018
Now in the detailed planning stages to work out specific projects

Waituna Lagoon opened to the sea

The lagoon was opened to the sea at Walker’s Bay on 30 May after the water level in the lagoon had exceeded the 2-metre trigger level. Environment Southland’s director of operations Jonathan Streat said this was an appropriate time to open the lagoon to the sea, as the high-water levels were clearly affecting surrounding farmland. Read more here.

Innovative pest control in Waituna

Innovation and new technology are essential in our biosecurity battle. In the Waituna catchment, Environment Southland is supporting a group of landowners and DOC to carry out pest control through the establishment of an exciting new landscape scale pest project, using wireless technology. This allows traps to be monitored remotely and alert the landowner when a trap is sprung.