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21 rostrevor street, po box 9338, hamilton 3240
p +64 7 839 7966 e www.
waikatoriver
.org.nz
A ground-breaking collaboration between dairy
industry body DairyNZ, the Waikato River Authority
and Waikato Regional Council is regarded as a
milestone project for the river.
The Waikato River Restoration Strategy project was
launched near Hamilton by Environment Minister
Nick Smith. It’s believed to be the first collaborative
initiative of its type involving such organisations
in the country and will run till 2017. The Authority
and DairyNZ are contributing $200,000 each in
direct costs with the regional council contributing
$75,000. Other costs will be met by significant in-
kind support, such as staff time, from DairyNZ and
the council.
The three organisations involved in the strategy
have all put major resources into helping protect
and restore the river in recent years.
A key aim of the new Waikato River Restoration
Strategy will be to ensure that this combined work
– plus the work of other agencies – is carried out as
efficiently as possible, whilst obtaining maximum
benefit by ensuring it is integrated
and co-ordinated.
The strategy will help guide investment decisions
for improving the health of the Waikato River over
the next five to 15 years. It is also designed to
guide the work of other stakeholders committed
to improving the health and well-being of the
river. The strategy will be one of the key tools for
delivering on the Vision and Strategy for a restored
and protected Waikato River and its catchments.
A key supporting action has been the creation of
a Waikato River Restoration Forum, involving the
three strategy partners as well as all Waikato River
Iwi, the Department of Conservation, Fonterra,
Genesis Energy and Mighty River Power, along
with local councils. The forum is chaired by the
Authority’s CEO Bob Penter, and will offer advice
and input into the preparation of the strategy.
Collaboration key
to milestone strategy
Minister of the Environment Hon Dr Nick Smith takes
questions from the news media after launching
the start of work on a five to 15 year Waikato River
Restoration Strategy.
The Waikato River Authority, through a project led
by consultancy group GHD, now has its own geo-
spatial GIS mapping capability to help manage and
monitor projects.
It is the completion of a project from the second
funding round and means the Authority has a GIS
tool-box that allows it to map and use data to help
set priorities for funding and future work.
The project was supported by Eagle Technology
and the Authority’s ability to access software
through the Esri/Eagle Technology not-for-profit
progamme.
Geographic Information System