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’re trialling tools, methods and approaches to enable farming, freshwater and healthy ecosystems to thrive side-by-side.
We’re 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.
eDNA sampling in Wairua
We've been out at the Hatea River with Ngā Kaitiaki O Ngā Wai Māori practicing eDNA sampling. Living Water takes every opportunity to work with Ngā Kaitiaki O Ngā Wai Māori to learn new techniques for the mahi we are both working on. The results from sampling will be used for the BioBlitz Parihaka Whangārei.
Why you should NEVER release goldfish into our Waterways
An important reminder‼️ Releasing goldfish into waterways is VERY bad for our native fish, plants and invertebrates and they contribute to water degradation 🙁 https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport/audio/2018864325/auckland-council-asking-residents-to-stop-releasing-goldfish-into-waterways
The fascinating fishy connection showing why restoration in lowland freshwater ecosystems is so important
Shade, logs and manuka bundles installed in Waituna Creek have proven their worth, Giant kōkopu were able to take refuge when their natural habitat was lost in the drought last summer. Read more about what we discovered in this years fish survey with Cawthron Institute. And, you will be shocked to discover how much īnanga longfin eels consume in a year 😮 https://www.livingwater.net.nz/what-were-up-to-nga-mahi-kei-te-haere/stories-about-our-work/the-fascinating-fishy-connection-showing
#BOTY
It's time to vote in #BirdoftheYear 2022! We're struggling to pick between our favourite swampy/salty underbirds. Who are you rooting for?
Tools and solutions
Ngā Taputapu me ngā Rongoā
Our projects, case studies, and resources
