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in the lower catchment
Making a difference
Case study
The Muir family has been
the ‘poster child’ for the
Waikato River Authority
for the work completed
and the difference made
in the lower Waikato
River near Waiuku.
Stu Muir and wife Kim are
dairy farmers bordering
the Waikato River. They are
successfully combining their
dairy farming with on-going
environmental improvement.
Their children are the sixth
generation of Muirs to be living
and working on the same land.
In the 40 years that Stu Muir
can remember there have
never been tui in the wetlands
that were choking water flow.
They have also created 15
ponds in the wetland area and
planted native grasses and
other plants to improve the
habitat for spawning whitebait.
They have worked through an
area of about 400 hectares of
river reserve.
Stu Muir says the river current
is moving again through this
area of the wetland bringing
with it spawning fish. Together
with schools and conservation
groups they have planted
tens of thousands of plants to
ensure the habitat is right for
the whitebait and other native
species. Part of the habitat
improvement has seen about
between the farm and the
river, but now they are back
and nesting. There is also an
increasing abundance of native
fish life including fresh
water mussels.
The Muirs have received
funding for projects from
every Authority funding round.
In the first four years this
totalled $150,000 for projects
related to whitebait habitat
restoration. The fifth year saw
a further $79,000 in funding
for two additional projects.
In the first four years, the
Authority funding has
allowed the Muirs to clear
seven kilometres of streams,
removing willow and pampas
Restoring and protecting the health and wellbeing of the Waikato River
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