Weka Guardians

Leading from the Land -

Project Grant

Project Outline

An eDNA monitoring project across 10 sites to identify native and invasive species. The initiative builds ecological literacy through student and landowner participation.

Outcomes

Key Achievements: 

• Completed eDNA testing across 10 sites in the catchment, providing valuable insights into local freshwater biodiversity. 

• Confirmed the presence of several important native species, including Freshwater Mussels (Kākahi) and Giant Bully. 

• Identified both expected and unexpected species through testing, increasing understanding of the catchment ecosystem. 

• Conducted stream assessments alongside eDNA sampling, highlighting opportunities to improve sediment control and stream shading. 

• Hosted a successful community celebration event at Waerenga-o-Kuri Hall to share results and encourage discussion about future environmental projects. 

• Strengthened understanding of the freshwater baseline, helping guide future restoration and monitoring priorities. 

• Reinforced ongoing pest control initiatives, including trapping and annual pest culls, to support ecosystem health. 

• Inspired strong community engagement and enthusiasm, particularly among students from Waerenga-o-Kuri School. 

• Sparked new conversations and interest in future environmental and biodiversity projects within the catchment. 

Community Impact: 

• Increased community awareness and understanding of the health and biodiversity of local waterways.  

• Generated excitement and pride within the community through the discovery of native species such as Kākahi and Giant Bully.  

• Brought community members together through the celebration event at Waerenga-o-Kuri Hall, encouraging discussion and collaboration around future environmental projects.  

• Strengthened community support for ongoing conservation efforts, including pest control and habitat restoration initiatives.  

• Encouraged greater environmental stewardship by helping people better understand the importance of freshwater ecosystems.  

• Inspired strong engagement from local children and students at Waerenga-o-Kuri School, helping foster future interest in conservation and environmental care.  

• Created momentum for future catchment projects by sparking enthusiasm, curiosity, and conversations about biodiversity and restoration opportunities. 

Lessons Learned: 

• eDNA testing is a valuable tool for building a clearer understanding of freshwater biodiversity and establishing an environmental baseline for future planning.  

• Combining eDNA sampling with stream assessments provides a more complete picture of catchment health and restoration priorities.  

• The results highlighted the need for further work around sediment control and increasing stream shading to improve waterway health.  

• Some expected species, such as freshwater crayfish (Kōura) and Weka, were not detected, showing that further monitoring and habitat restoration may be needed.  

• Ongoing pest management remains important, with the findings reinforcing the value of existing trapping and pest cull programmes.  

• Community engagement is greatly strengthened when local people can see and celebrate tangible environmental results.  

• Involving schools and young people creates enthusiasm, builds environmental awareness, and helps support long-term community stewardship.  

• Sharing findings openly with the community encourages collaboration and generates ideas and momentum for future projects. 

Next Steps: 

• Continue exploring and investigating species that were expected but not detected in the eDNA results, including Kōura and Weka.  

• Use the freshwater baseline data to guide future restoration and environmental management priorities across the catchment.  

• Improve stream health through targeted actions focused on sediment control and increasing stream shading.  

• Continue and strengthen existing pest control efforts, including trapping programmes and annual pest culls, to reduce pest impacts on native biodiversity.  

• Undertake further monitoring and eDNA testing to track changes in species presence and catchment health over time.  

• Build on the strong community interest generated by the project by developing additional environmental and biodiversity initiatives.  

• Maintain engagement with local schools and community members to encourage ongoing participation, education, and stewardship of local waterways 

Sample Sites