Community-led action to replenish the
whenua and health of the Waihi Estuary

Wai Kōkopu, the community-led programme of action

Our mission is to replenish and revitalise the health of the Waihi Estuary. The Waihi estuary, is in a poor and declining ecological state and does not consistently meet guidelines for safe swimming and shellfish gathering.

Our programme involves catchment-wide innovation, enlightened thinking, strong leadership, the passion within our local communities and the harnessing the power of collective action.

Fly the catchment

When the kōkopu, are flourishing from the sea to the mountains
and our estuary is rich with giant pīpī again,
we will then know the Waihi Estuary is returning to good health.

Our focus

This programme focuses on environmental initiatives at a farm, sub-catchment and catchment level with an overarching objective of improving water quality in the Waihī Catchment waterways.

Significant reductions of contaminants (between 30% and 60% for nutrients) and E.coli (50%) are needed to return the Waihi Estuary to a healthy ecological state.

By fostering awareness and shared responsibility for the health of the Waihī Estuary, we hope to influence better practices, decisions and outcomes for the lands, waters, biodiversity and community within the Waihī Estuary Catchment.

A need for change in the way we operate

Restoration of the Waihi Estuary will take a change of heart from how we have operated in New Zealand for the last 160 years. This transformational shift needs to be underpinned by customary local knowledge or whakapapa systems, returning the whenua (soils, waterways, biodiversity) of the Waihi Estuary to wellness, which is transparent and supported by democratised data, with real time feedback, providing health measures to the catchment community.

Instead of industry sectors working in silos and against one another, this is a call to action for industry groups to come together and be of service to the communities partnered with hau kāinga. Actions will be measured, documented in GIS systems, cumulatively monitored and made available in real time.

Become a member

Monthly pānui/newsletter
Vote for future Board members in September
Invitations to events and volunteer opportunities
Have input into how we prioritise funding
Easily access advice, support and funding for restoration works on your property

Join now