Through Wai-Connection, our Biodiversity Team works alongside local catchment groups, supporting them with the tools, expertise and resources needed to scale their impact. We also help deliver freshwater education programmes to schools, fostering a new generation of kaitiaki.
If you’re interested in learning more about Wai-Connection or want to explore how we can support your catchment group, get in touch with our Biodiversity Manager, Campbell Leckie – campbell@sustainablehb.org.nz.
Whether it’s strategic planning, on-the-ground workshops, or expert advice, we’re here to help build capability, share knowledge, and drive long-term environmental outcomes.
We currently support the following catchment groups:
Guardians of Tūtira
Karamū River Catchment Collective
Kaweka Community Catchment Collective
Nūhaka Catchment Group
Southern Coast Catchment
Waingōngoro Awa Restoration Project
Our school programmes are largely delivered through the Mountains to the Sea – Whitebait Connection, featuring both classroom and field-based sessions. Students learn about species like īnanga and the importance of maintaining healthy river and stream ecosystems.
We also run a wide variety of community events, including:
Night-time spotlighting walks
Planting and clean-up days
Freshwater monitoring workshops
Guest speaker sessions and expert talks
We develop interactive Catchment Map Series and Environmental Farm Plans that visualise complex spatial data in a clear, usable format.
These digital tools help catchment groups and landowners better understand their environment, track progress, and plan for the future.
Explore examples of our GIS work – including Catchment Map Series, Farm Plans, and bespoke projects below.
