Wai Connect Waikato

Wai Connection: Connecting communities, supporting hapū and whānau, and creating enduring change.

Wai Connection is a community-led initiative to support community and farmer-led catchment groups with healthier freshwater ecosystems. A collaboration between the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust and Go Eco, the project works directly with local catchment groups and key partners—including iwi/hapū, landowners, local and central government, industry bodies, NGOs, and educational institutions—to deliver tailored support that meets local needs.

Wai Connection bridges the gap between people and their local waterways from a “mountains to sea” perspective. By promoting collaboration among local catchment groups, NGOs, hapū/iwi, Regional Councils, central Government, and the primary industry, the project supports the collective delivery of the Government’s Essential Freshwater (EF) work package goals. Wai Connection also champions whānau- and hapū-led projects, emphasising the importance of Māori values and mātauranga Māori in waterway restoration through local wānanga and learning resources to strengthen cultural connections and embrace solutions that reflect local priorities and aspirations.

In our first year of delivery, we are partnering with the Pokaiwhenua Catchment Group and the Piako Waihou Catchment Trust to pilot and develop our approach and ensure it meets the needs of diverse communities and landscapes.

Regional teams offer science-based experiential education and community engagement through freshwater monitoring projects and host community events. Dedicated Catchment Coordinators provide facilitation, administration, and planning assistance and help attract volunteers and funding.

Funded primarily through the Essential Freshwater Fund, Wai Connection is on a mission to build capacity and capability in catchment groups across Aotearoa by June 2025. This effort is paving the way for lasting improvements to the health of our freshwater ecosystems—creating a legacy of sustainability for future generations.

Piako Waihou Catchment Trust  Piako Waihou Catchment

Pokaiwhenua Catchment Group Pokaiwhenua

Category

Conservation and Biodiversity

Contact

catchments@goeco.org.nz

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