Catchment Communities Aotearoa June 16 - 16
June 16 and 17 was the Catchment Communities Aotearoa AGM and forum, and the the LFTL team went down to share the mahi of our region.
Programme Lead Tania Swift had the following to say:
" It was an inspiring few days connecting with regional counterparts from across Aotearoa and hearing where the national catchment movement is heading.
The biggest takeaway for me was that Leading from the Land is already on the right path. Many of the national discussions reinforced the community-led approach we have intentionally built here in Tairāwhiti.
Key themes from the forum that stood out
Community-led action is the future
There is a strong recognition that catchment communities are becoming a critical part of New Zealand's environmental future. Rather than relying solely on regulation, community-led action is an effective means of achieving long-term improvements in biodiversity, water quality, climate resilience and landscape restoration. There was also acknowledgement that one model does not fit every region, and that regional support services should be designed around local communities and their needs.
Telling our environmental story matters
Many speakers highlighted that International markets value products which demonstrate biodiversity gains and lower carbon footprints. Stories we tell about restoration, community action, and environmental improvement contribute to the value of exported our products.
Climate resilience is becoming a major focus
Catchment communities are recognised for their role in strengthening community resilience before, during and after severe weather events. There was discussion around catchment communities supporting emergency preparedness through practical knowledge sharing, education and local leadership, recognising that trusted local networks often become the first point of support during emergencies.
Future funding opportunities
The forum highlighted the need for catchment communities to diversify their funding beyond central government and to leverage regional councils, trusts, banks, corporates, industry organisations and philanthropic funders, alongside emerging biodiversity and voluntary carbon markets where possible.
Data and collaboration
Several speakers emphasised that better environmental data and stronger collaboration between regions will strengthen New Zealand's environmental reputation and improve our ability to demonstrate impact. The phrase that resonated throughout the forum was:
"Our community collaboration is New Zealand’s strength"