100 projects
Trying things out, costing them, and planning how to take them to scale
Living Water: Dairy and freshwater thriving together
About Living Water
Mō Living Water
Farming and freshwater thriving together
Te puāwai ngātahi a te mahi pāmu me te wai māori
Living Water is a partnership between the Department of Conservation and Fonterra. We’ve trialled tools, methods and approaches to enable farming, freshwater and healthy ecosystems to thrive side-by-side.
We’ve been working with farmers, scientists, councils, mana whenua and communities to design and test solutions to improve freshwater quality, and then sharing the results of our trials and research on this website.
Our mission
Tā tātou Whāinga
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
Our People
Ō mātou tāngata
With nearly 40% of New Zealand’s land under our 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
Ngā wāhi e mahi ana mātou
How we’re working
Te āhua o tā mātou mahi
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
He aha tā mātou mahi
We are doers, with the big picture in mind. Check out what we have been up to around Aotearoa New Zealand.
Hear about the amazing shorebirds at Pūkorokoro Miranda
We were lucky enough to stay at the Pūkorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre and hear from Keith about the shorebirds that depend on the Firth for re-fuelling after a long journey from the Arctic. Living Water has been working in the area since 2013, alongside the naturalist's trust and others in the community to restore and protect the shorebird's habitat. Listen to Keith discuss his new book part memoir, part story and the history of Pūkorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre 👇 https://bit.ly/3VLSI3M
Why wetlands are endangered in New Zealand
Wetlands purify water, reduce flooding & erosion, provide carbon storage and resources like peat and flax, habitat for birds, fish, plants & insects, process nutrients and provide recreation. Listen to learn why they're threatened & how we can protect them https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/nights/audio/2018868652/why-are-our-wetlands-under-threat
Hosting the Conservation Minister at Lake Ruatuna
Wonderful to host the Minister of Conservation, the Honourable Poto Williams at Lake Ruatuna in the Waikato last week. Living Water has been investing at this site for almost 10 years and it was great to showcase the mahi that iwi, Department of Conservation, Department of Corrections, Fonterra, landowners, community groups and schools have done over that time to restore this unique peat lake environment. Read more 👇 https://bit.ly/3CbMiSL
Out looking at godwits, knots and wrybills #pukorokoromirandabirds #shorebirds #birds
Out looking at godwits, knots and wrybills #pukorokoromirandabirds #shorebirds #birds
Tools and solutions
Ngā Taputapu me ngā Rongoā
Our projects, case studies, and resources
