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A collective approach to managing the Whangateau Harbour catchment took a step forward at a workshop in the Point Wells Hall on Saturday, May 17.
About 50 residents from around the harbour attended the event, organised under the auspices of Restore Rodney East.
Participants were led through a process to identify what they valued in the harbour, where they saw existing and potential threats, and possible solutions.
Several technical experts facilitated discussion including leaders in ecosystem health Professors Conrad Pilditch and Simon Thrush, from Auckland University’s Faculty of Marine Science, and Duncan Kervell, a specialist in action-oriented land and catchment management.
“Moana can recover and can recover quite quickly, but we’ve got to get land management right.” Prof. Simon Thrush
Kervell introduced the workshop to the idea of building a catchment storymap, which would combine maps with narrative text and other media to tell a story about the catchment.
He described them as a dynamic and interactive tool to disseminate catchment data, including land characteristics and activities.
He said they could be used to improve water management, identify sleep slopes which were more vulnerable to erosion and sediment runoff, and promote conservation in an engaging way.
Commenting after the event, catchment facilitator Alicia Bullock said Saturday’s workshop showed just how deeply the community cared about Whangateau Harbour and its catchment.
“There was strong alignment around key issues including sedimentation, unsustainable fishing practices and vessel speeds,” she says.
“The local knowledge and energy brought to identifying solutions was inspiring. All this input will shape the collective, community-led action plan – from hills to harbour.”
Bullock said it was exciting to see interactive digital tools in action, including flyovers using GIS data layered with aerial imagery.
“These will visualise the catchment as a connected system and help prioritise actions like revegetating eroding land.
“Two more workshops are coming – everyone who loves this treasured place is welcome.”
