Catchment-scale case studies were undertaken to support the development, testing and application of the WebApp. These case studies cover a range of spatial scales and real-life situations and are presented below.
The Te Hoiere Project began in 2020 with the aim of carrying out landscape scale restoration to enhance and protect environmental well-being, but also provide social, cultural, and economic benefits. The project is led by a steering group involving the Marlborough District Council (MDC), Iwi (Ngāti Kuia and Rangitāne), industry, community, and conservation group representatives.
The Te Hoiere Project covers the Te Hoiere/Pelorus, Kaituna and Linkwater Rivers and their catchments all of which drain into the Te Hoiere/Pelorus Sound.
The aim of our case study was to test the application of our research in the context of the Te Hoiere catchment and, in working with the catchment community, develop monitoring recommendations to assess the freshwater restoration outcomes of the Te Hoiere Project, using both biophysical and mātauranga Māori tools.
The development of a cultural monitoring framework in partnership with Ngāti Kuia focused on trialling existing cultural monitoring approaches that resonated with Ngāti Kuia foundations and aspirations.
The biophysical monitoring component of the case study focused on evaluating the likely performance of the current monitoring network to detect freshwater change over time and develop recommendations to optimise change detection. We also evaluated the sensitivity to change detection of a number of additional sites monitored by MDC as part of the baseline water quality research carried out in the context of the Te Hoiere Project.
The full report on this case study will be made available January 2024.
More information on this project:
Pictures associated with this web page are from the Te Hoiere Catchment StoryMap
The Pokaiwhenua Catchment Group formed in early 2021. The group governance structure is set up as a trust, with the trustees formed from local community, Iwi and business representatives. The group’s vision is “to restore and enhance the wellbeing of the Pokaiwhenua catchment for the benefit of the community”. The group’s strategic plan includes seven interconnected objectives focussed on water quality, biodiversity, cultural and community goals.
The Pokaiwhenua catchment is in the south Waikato region andincludes the townships of Tokoroa and Putāruru. The Pokaiwhenua stream originates in the hills of the Mamaku Plateau and ends at Lake Karapiro, eventually draining into the Waikato River.
The aim of the case study was to test the WebApp in the context of the Pokaiwhenua catchment and, in working with the catchment community, develop monitoring recommendations to assess the freshwater restoration outcomes of the Pokaiwhenua action plan, using both biophysical and mātauranga Māori tools.
The development of a cultural monitoring framework focused on rejuvenating traditional Raukawa mahinga kai practices to monitor freshwaters within the Pokaiwhenua catchment. It involved integrating both science and mātauranga Raukawa to inform better practice monitoring methods. The reestablishment of a Pā Tuna site on the Pokaiwhenua was initiated as part of a monitoring plan.
The Pā Tuna project monitoring plan draws on Te Ārohirohi a Raukawa (Raukawa’s freshwater assessment tool) which guides kaitiaki on how to conduct freshwater assessment initiatives as aligned with Raukawa tikanga, values and philosophies.
The biophysical monitoring section focused on assessing the performance of the current monitoring network to detect improvements in water quality indicators over time including those required by the Waikato Regional Plan Change 1. Further, the case study demonstrates the capability of the WebApp to customise the underlying land mitigation layer to test different mitigation scenarios. Two mitigation bundles were developed with farmer input for this purpose. Each mitigation bundle was based on the likelihood of application and considered elements of cost, opportunity, and existing knowledge.
The full report on this case study will be made available January 2024.
More information on this project:
Pictures associated with this web page are from the Pokaiwhenua Catchment Group website.
Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere is a hāpua (a shallow, brackish coastal lake-lagoon). It is the largest in Waitaha Canterbury, fifth largest in Aotearoa/New Zealand, and an important wildlife area both nationally and internationally. Whakaora Te Waihora is an extensive ecological and cultural restoration programme underway now. For Ngāi Tahu, Te Waihora has outstanding significance as a tribal taonga, representing a major mahinga kai/food resource and an important source of mana tewaihora.org.
Over the years, flows in lowland streams and the Waikirikiri/Selwyn River have decreased, while nitrate concentrations have increased, and the health of Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere has deteriorated. About 200 farms in the area are required to reduce their nitrogen loss from 1 January 2022. Read more
The purpose of our case study was to assess whether the current SoE monitoring network is likely to detect water quality improvements associated with regional plan rules (Plan Change 1 of the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan. The key findings of our study were as follows:
