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 DOC and Fonterra.
Our focus is finding game-changing 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.
2-year-old wetland plants already overhead
These cabbage trees and manuka are just two years old and already overhead! They are loving the extensive wetland area where they were planted around Waikato peat lake Ruatuna, funded by Living Water and planted by local school pupils. Great habitat for wildlife and a buffer between freshwater lake and farmland.
Water purifier beside a lake
Check out our pics - we've just installed some more sediment traps next to Waikato Peat Lake Ruatuna, a DOC reserve in farmland. These excavations don't cost much, and will capture any sediment coming off the land before it gets to the lake. They can be dug out again every 2-4 years. The banks will be planted with natives soon.
A new way to plant waterways?
Why are we spraying black stuff over a patch of land on a dairy farm? This rich composty liquid is filled with carex seeds - we're testing whether this is an economic and easy option for planting difficult sites, to capture sediment and effluent. Learn more in our timelapse by clicking the title above. Thanks to Erosion Control Ltd.
Million Metres kicking off crowdfunding campaign
Collaboration is the greatest thing! Many of us from mana whenua, NGOs, govt and community are working together to improve the Kaipara harbour through the rivers that run into it. One partner in our work in Northland - Million Metres – has kicked off a crowdfunding campaign. Read about it here.
Our progress
Our plans, projects, case studies, and reports.
