100 projects
Trying things out, costing them, and planning how to take them to scale
Living Water: Dairy and freshwater thriving together
Living Water is a partnership between the Department of Conservation and Fonterra. Our focus is finding game-changing and scalable solutions that will enable farming, freshwater and healthy ecosystems to thrive side-by-side.
We are working with farmers, scientists, councils, mana whenua and communities to design and test solutions, and then develop a plan to implement regionally and nationally.
Our mission
5 regions
Demonstrating dairying and freshwater ecosystems thriving together
1 mission
To build connections which can drive better outcomes for the environment, the economy and New Zealanders
Who are we
With nearly 40% of New Zealand’s land under their care, Fonterra and the Department of Conservation have joined forces to work on the farming and freshwater challenge.
We work on the ground, side by side. We share our expertise and use our collective strengths.
Where we’re working
How we’re working
1
Working towards a common vision of dairy and freshwater thriving together
2
Designing and trialling solutions in five catchments
3
Measuring the impact across 10 years
4
Scaling implementation — the process and cost per farm, per region and for New Zealand
5
Championing change — to mindsets, approaches, systems and aspirations
What we’re up to
We are doers, with the big picture in mind. Check out what we have been up to around New Zealand.
Annual Tuna survey in Northland
Our Northland team has been out doing their annual Tuna survey with Ngā Kaitiaki O Ngā Wai Māori, Northland Regional Council and NIWA New Zealand, over four years we are monitoring the numbers of tuna to see how they are surviving after being moved Omiru Falls. The Tuna are caught, quickly have their health assessed then are returned to the stream. We want to use the knowledge gained from this project to increase tuna populations in the area.
Steering Committee on tour with Living Water
Last week our steering committee and valued partners got the chance to head out to one of our Northland sites to check out our sediment detention dam project. They look pretty happy with what they've seen 😃
Murals to celebrate precious wetland birds
Painting three large murals to highlight and celebrate precious wetland birds in the Ohaupo area - an idea Living Water could get behind! A kingfisher, bittern and spotless crake now adorn a bus shelter each along Ohaupo's main street, painted by local artist Jeremy Shirley with funding from Department of Conservation and Fonterra's Living Water Partnership. This is a small part of a big story about the town adopting the Waikato Peat Lakes as their own. Read more 👇 https://www.livingwater.net.nz/im:1606/
Wairua Catchment, Northland
Wairua River, Northland flows into the Kaipara Harbour, a significant nursery for juvenile fish and sharks. There has been a significant loss of wetland and freshwater ecosystems. Water quality is poor due to high levels of suspended sediment. Living Water’s key focus is on reducing sediment loads into the Wairua River by using solutions that improve hydrologic functioning and ecological resilience of the catchment. Read more about what we're doing in Wairua here https://www.livingwater.net.nz/catchment/wairua-river/
Our progress
Our plans, projects, case studies, and reports.
