Catchment Groups are traditionally comprised of landowners and land users in an area defined primarily by catchment or sub catchment boundaries. Group members collectively address shared issues on their own land and associated water bodies.
Council encourages and supports formation of landowner-led catchment groups. The purpose of the group might be to work on collective actions to improve water quality, share learning around good farm practices with peers, develop support networks and resilience planning. The Council can offer technical advice and resources to assist across a range of topics. Read more here.
See below for a list of catchment groups in our area (both current and previously active) nearby. If there isn't one in you area, perhaps you could start one.
If your group would like to be listed here, please let us know: [email protected]
The reason for forming a group may come and go, here are some of the most successful catchment groups in Tasman include:
Council has encouraged and promoted the formation of catchment groups with an interest in environmental quality and worked with them to achieve their environmental goals. Common issues addressed by catchment groups include water quality, erosion, pest management and native vegetation decline. Council provides technical advice and information, and can offer fencing materials and trees for erosion control.
Catchment groups carry out a range of projects, including:
Council works with New Zealand Landcare Trust to provide support to catchment groups by helping them to get established and linking them to advice and support networks. Together the two organisations assist communities working towards more sustainable agricultural practices.
Visit the New Zealand Landcare Trust website for further details:
Think about starting your own group if there are no streamcare groups in your area already. The first step is to define the environmental issues in your area that need addressing, for example:
Find out if anyone else in your area feels the same way. Start talking to neighbours, friends and family. What would they like to see done to help the local environment? What do they think could be improved? And what skills and support could they each provide?
Think about who else needs to be involved in a local catchment group. Contact groups such as hunters, anglers, horse riding groups, farmers and your local marae.
How much support have you got out there? By gauging the level of interest you can determine whether it is worthwhile calling everyone together for a meeting. If you decide it is worthwhile, get in touch with the New Zealand Landcare Trust or Council.
The Council can offer:
For support in establishing your catchment group or advice once established, please contact our Catchment Team at [email protected].
Council works with New Zealand Landcare Trust, Tasman Environmental Trust, MPI’s On-Farm support and Catchment Group Coordinators to provide support to groups by helping them to get established and linking them to advice and support networks.
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