What we’re up to

Happy World Ranger Day! A massive thank you to our Living Water Rangers who are on the front line everyday working to protect our taonga! To celebrate, we asked our Living Water Rangers what motivates them to get out of bed everyday. Here's our Northern Site Lead, Andrew: "My motivation is caring for the environment and moving towards a sustainable future. I love the problem solving part of my job and the out of the box solutions we come up with to make a difference."

To celebrate World Ranger Day, we're introducing our rangers and asked them to share with us what motivates them. Here's Waituna site lead, Jane, "We have some pretty amazing (but at risk!) freshwater ecosystems and fish species (like the Giant Kokopu she's holding) in New Zealand. What motivates me is working in a role which does a little bit towards protecting these for the next generation” (Jane is currently on secondment)

World Ranger Day highlights the critical work our rangers do, to celebrate we're celebrating our amazing rangers and asked them what motivates them to get out of bed. Here's Pūkorokoro-Miranda and Waikato Peat Lakes Ranger, Rose, with a rarely seen (and threatened) Spotless Crake. "Working in conservation is my passion and part of my identity. I am so happy that my job is a contribution to preserving and restoring our natural heritage." Read about Rose's encounter with the Spotless Crake: https://www.livingwater.net.nz/our-progress/im:1432/spotless-crake-the-lesser-known-bird-that

To say thanks to our amazing Rangers on World Ranger Day, we asked our Living Water Rangers to share with us what gets them out of bed each day. Ararira-LII Site Lead, Robin: "We’re all awakening to how a healthy environment underpins our present and future prosperity. Living Water has given me a chance to share that message, collaborate with others for the good of the environment and design and trial solutions to improve sustainable farming practice and freshwater ecosystem health."

The recent signing of the Godwit protection plan will hugely benefit our treasured shorebirds (who are in decline). Living Water has been working with the Pukorokoro Miranda Naturalists' Trust, Department of Conservation and Fonterra since 2014 to improve the shorebird's habitat, take a look at what we've been doing. https://youtu.be/TJoPm7qTJIU

Living Water has been supporting the Pukorokoro Miranda Naturalists' Trust​ since 2014, supporting their conservation activities and demonstrating to international stakeholders that responsible dairy farming includes contributing to the efforts of others and ecosystems are connected on a global scale, then this fantastic news, an agreement will help protect the bird's habitat in China. https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2019/07/jacinda-ardern-welcomes-godwit-protection-plan.html

It's #FieldDayFriday and we're in Hamilton with the Fonterra Parts and Warranty team planting a gully. Learn more about what we're doing in the Waikato here: https://www.livingwater.net.nz/catchment/lakes-areare-ruatuna-rotomanuka/

What an awesome project with an awesome outcome for the Canterbury Mudfish (most threatened of New Zealand's mudfish species), a great example of collaboration! https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=495309197870994

We had some special guests at the Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre today, our Living Water team got a chance to talk with the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Environment Minister Eugenie Sage MP about what Living Water is doing in the area to help the shorebirds and what we are doing to improve water quality on both Fonterra farms and Department of Conservation land that will one day be scaled up and used in other catchments around the country.

This is one of our greatest mysteries, NIWA freshwater ecologists are hoping to get the answers by tagging female eels in the Waikato River. Listen 👇 https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ourchangingworld/audio/2018695044/mystery-of-the-longfin-eel-s-breeding-ground

How well can our small native fish in different velocities? Understanding what water speed different species of fish are capable of coping with will help with the fish-friendly design of structures to ensure the fish can move upstream and downstream at different stages of their lives. Have a listen👇 https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ourchangingworld/audio/2018701228/freshwater-fish-swim-for-science

There's more to clean waterways than the ability to swim in them. All the creatures living in our waterways have an important part to play in their ecosystem. https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/climate-news/113030981/tiny-creatures-doing-big-work-in-rivers-and-streams-are-threatened-by-climate-change

#FieldDayFriday and we're throwing it back to Fieldays where some of our Living Water team were on site to talk about freshwater both on and off farms. Department of Conservation and Fonterra, are custodians of nearly 40 percent of New Zealand’s land, and we both have a responsibility to look after our land and water for future generations so we're working on solutions to see freshwater and farming thriving together.

A few of our team have been lucky enough to spot Bittern in our Ararira and Waikato Peat Lakes sites. Small Waikato town Ohaupo fell so in love ❤️ with it's precious wetland birds that they adopted the peat lakes as their town identity, erecting signs and painting murals of the wetland birds, including the bittern to highlight and celebrate them. Read the heartwarming story 👇 https://www.livingwater.net.nz/our-progress/im:1432/ohaupo-celebrates-precious-wetland-birds

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. Find out more at www.livingwater.net.nz Watch 👇 https://youtu.be/KIUqULMXi7g

Did you catch the Country Calendar about Gay and Ron Munro's farm in the Waituna Catchment? Conscious of the fact their land drains into the internationally significant Waituna Lagoon they're working hard to protect the wetlands on their land, with a third in it's natural state. Watch it here: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/country-calendar/2019-s-country-calendar-stories/episode-15