Update on Wai Connection funding for Otago Catchment Groups

 

About Wai Connection

In 2024, OCC applied for Wai Connection funding and went through the process of identifying needs and opportunities in Otago Catchments, a process many of you were part of. “Wai Connection - Tatai Ki Te Wai”, is a nationwide MfE funded initiative administered by the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust (MTSCT) to enhance freshwater management across New Zealand

The funding is available to June 2025 and is specifically targeted at building capability and capacity through empowering communities with the knowledge, tools and expert support to identify and solve catchment issues locally.

We are underway with a number of the projects that were discussed and identified at the Catchment Leaders Forum in the Maniototo last year.

 

What we have already funded:

 

• Strategic Doing Facilitation course – in late November last year, six of our catchment community attended a workshop learning a different approach to facilitation – ‘Strategic Doing’. This was an intensive one-day workshop in Dunedin that built on the facilitation skills of those that attended and provided them with another perspective on effectively applying facilitation skills in their catchment groups.

 

• eDNA kits have been purchased and are being distributed through Nicole and Sam to interested groups. If you would like eDNA kits to investigate an area of interest or focus please contact Nicole or Sam.

 

• GIS mapping in Post Office Creek/Waipuku (East Otago) – Building catchment capability in GIS is being piloted in a small catchment, Waipaku/Post Office Creek, in East Otago using baseline mapping of flow paths, erosion and wet areas to undertake a mitigation analysis to inform where potential interventions could be sited. We look forward to sharing the results.

 

• Facilitation skills workshop (18 participants) – to be held next week from 10th-12th March in Dunedin. There are number of catchment group leads who have taken up this offer to attend along with Iwi and ORC Catchment Advisers. We are excited to be able to offer this fantastic facilitation and leadership skills training opportunity that will enable participants to build community capacity, buy-in and action.

 

• Communications – We are purchasing two sets of some basic filming equipment (tripod, wireless clip-on microphone system, smartphone phone mount) to be available to catchment groups to enable the recording of segments for storytelling/social media/communications. These will be available through contacting Nicole or Sam. We have also added some communications guidelines and tips on the OCC website.

 

What we would like to offer you going forward:

 

• Engagement workshops – As was highlighted through discussion at the Catchment Group forum, engagement is a key stumbling block for many catchment groups. Subsequently, we have worked with Paul Southworth (Turboweb and Aroha Kaikorai Valley) and developed a workshop to help groups identify key strategies for enhancing engagement. We successfully piloted a workshop in the Pomahaka catchment in early February and would like to roll this out to other groups who are interested.

ACTION: Confirm if want this workshop and let us know some dates and locations that could work for you. Trainer available April onwards. Workshop needs to be completed before 30th June 2025. Thank you to those who’ve already gotten back to us.

Fine tune your communications to attract engagement in your group. Five-hour workshop with a mid-session lunch break. Paul Southworth is the trainer (from Dunedin). Here’s what the Pomahaka Water Care Group had to say:

“This was a great way for our committee to come together and have a shared understanding of the critical importance of telling our story and how to convey that to our target audiences and stakeholders to increase engagement. This workshop will help you sharpen up your story, identify your target audiences, their needs, motivations and barriers, and set you up with the knowledge to craft a communication plan to achieve this. Two weeks on, we’ve now developed our communication plan and are feeling inspired and confident that our messaging is on-point and we know who and why we’re targeting these groups of people. Paul’s background in web design and marketing and his approach of thinking outside the square, challenged our group to be more creative and open-minded in considering ways to increase engagement – from ideas for posts on social media, to community events and even the concept of  “employing” volunteers. As a founding member of Aroha Kaikorai Valley, Paul has a real passion for helping other catchment groups have a greater impact in their communities.”

Paul says that for a successful outcome as many members from one group should attend as possible, rather than just a nominated person. Possibly we could have a workshop, or workshops, with up to two groups at a time – if a date works for both groups and Paul is available.

 

• Website development/updating – There was some interest from groups in being able to develop a website for their catchment group. We have an offer from Turboweb which is attached and could offer ongoing monthly support costs of $50.15 for up to two years. However, if you already have a website and are looking for funding to update or some other support, please get in touch and we can discuss how we might be able to support you with this.

 

• Community Based Freshwater Monitoring Training – we have the opportunity through the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust (MTSCT) to offer training in Freshwater Monitoring.  If you are interested in having someone trained in Community Based Freshwater Monitoring to enable you to initiate monitoring activities in your communities, we are planning a 2-day training event in either late April or May in conjunction with Arai Te Uru marae, Kaikorai Valley, Dunedin. This is open to catchment group leads, mana whenua and interested stakeholders. Please get in touch for more details.

 

• Predator Training Workshops – There are a couple of potential options for training in this space, let Nicole or Sam know if your group has interest in either -

• NMIT ‘ Predator Trapping Methods’ – a 2 day workshop delivered in partnership with DOC, this course provides the knowledge and skills to manage effective pest control programmes. Course dates are 7-8th  May in Dunedin, 10-11th May in Arrowtown. Link to more information - https://www.nmit.ac.nz/study/short-courses/prt301-predator-trapping-methods. Accommodation and course fees would be covered.

• Predator trapping workshop – a 1-day workshop for anyone from catchment groups who is interested in finding out more about predator control and monitoring to attend. Likely to be in held in the Alexandra/Cromwell area. More details to follow once we have an idea of the potential uptake and areas of interest.

 

As we are working to a 30 June 2025 deadline for funding, it is important you contact us and discuss how and if you are interested in pursuing any of the above options.

 

Regards

Judy Miller

Wai Connection - OCC Project Coordinator

M: 0274433506