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.
What's our 'why'?
We often get asked - why? Well, there's no-one better to answer that question than the people directly involved. Here some of our partners from Department of Conservation, Fonterra, Te Whangai Trust, Ngakaitiaki o Nga Wai Maori, Ngati Haua Mahi Trust, CAREX, and Gary & Adrienne Dalton share their 'why'.
Something fishy going on in Waituna
It's Conservation Week 15 - 23 September, and we're looking forward to our special activity with Gorge Road School in the Waituna catchment. Emma from DoC is organising an exciting day for the kids with these cool 'Giant Kokopu' chocolate fish as prizes.. yum!
SBN Awards 2018 Finalist
A little bit chuffed to be a finalist in the 'Partnering for Good' category of the NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards 2018. Thank you to all our partners who are helping us find solutions that will enable healthy freshwater ecosystems and sustainable dairying to thrive side by side.
Trialling tools to be taken to scale
From bioreactors to phosphorus catchers and floating wetlands to hydro-seeding natives, Living Water is focused on trialling solutions that can be taken to scale to create real change. Check out the potential solutions our partnership with Department of Conservation and Fonterra is currently assessing.
Our progress
Our plans, projects, case studies, and reports.
