Catchments Otago Update
Read on for the latest news from Cynthia and the team at Catchments Otago. You’ll find up to date information following the consultation with Otago’s catchment groups from March and April of this year
Catchments Otago Update
July 2022
During March and April this year, Catchments Otago partnered with NZ Landcare Trust and OCC, visiting, and working with 22 catchment groups across Otago.
Time was spent with groups identifying priorities and goals, aspirations for the groups as well as concerns. Common priorities and key themes were noted and have been used to develop possible research projects alongside relevant departments at the University as well as external stakeholders.
Key themes related to:
Conservation & biodiversity efforts
Baseline info to inform policy
Simplifying science & monitoring
Wetland, gullies, & estuary values
Mindset change education
Clean power generation innovation
Costs of feeding our country
Impacts on human & ecosystem health
Four research grants have been submitted in collaboration with external stakeholders from these initial discussions. There have been two successful applications – education and conservation based.
One application is still pending, based on simplifying science, while the fourth was declined.
There are further applications underway.
If successful, these will help to establish the following:
1) Short education opportunities for those in a freshwater space. Specifically for expanding theoretical and practical knowledge.
2) Clarifying catchment health on mahinga kai.
The intention is that the successful research projects will feed into catchment groups’ work and priorities, alleviating pinch points, such as dissemination of science. There is also an intention to elevate key areas of interest and concern to a place where understanding and knowledge around the ‘what’ as well as the ‘how’ of the drivers behind these interest areas are shared and known throughout the groups of Otago.
Catchments Otago wish to thank all those that have generously given their time so far to these initial discussions, helping to develop ideas into research submissions.
Cynthia and team will keep catchment groups informed along the way on the status of funding applications and the next steps following this piece of work.
Please get in contact if you have further questions or would like to stay in touch with this work.
