March 2026 - Newsletter
Tēnā koutou Catchment members,
We invite you to the 2026 Woolshed Workshops for West Waikato Coastal Community Catchment Group (WWCC)! These conversations will be specific to your sub-catchments, so bring all your neighbours!
Monday, 30 March 2026
Te Akau Sub-catchment at the Bregmen's Woolshed 10 am - 12 pm
Waimai Sub-catchment at the Reeves' Woolshed 1 pm - 3 pm
Tuesday, 31 March 2026
Waikorea Sub-catchment at A. Parrot's Woolshed 10 am - 12 pm
Waikaretu Sub-catchment at the Mandeno's Woolshed 1 pm - 3 pm
Read on for more about these workshops... or register here --> Event Page
Catchment Update: Looking Ahead to Workshops & Opportunities
There’s been some great momentum building across the catchment, starting with WWCC's very first Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting and our plans to discuss our collection of baseline data with you.
The CAG session brought together a range of perspectives to begin shaping an interim work plan for the year, along with planning a series of upcoming woolshed workshops across the catchment.
These workshops will be a key opportunity to share information, hear from the community, and work together on priorities for the future.
Water Quality Monitoring
12 Month Insights
Over the past year, regular water quality monitoring has been carried out across the catchment.
At the upcoming workshops, we’ll be sharing:
Insights from 12 months of water quality testing
What the results are telling us about the health of our waterways
Opportunities for ongoing community involvement
Male upland bully (Gobiomorphus breviceps). Image Source: Wikipedia
eDNA Results - Understanding Our Waterways
We’ll also be sharing results from eDNA testing, which provides a fascinating snapshot of what species are living in and around our waterways.
This work is helping to build a clearer picture of biodiversity across the catchment, adding another layer of understanding to support future decision-making.
Catchment Mapping
New mapping data from Waikato Regional Council is helping to visualise the catchment in more detail, including sub-catchments and key features.
This information will support more informed discussions at the workshops and help identify priority areas and opportunities across the landscape.
Potential Funding & Research Opportunities
Alongside this work, there are potential funding opportunities to support on-the-ground action, including:
Protection and management of kauri stands
Pest control initiatives to protect our native species and improve ecosystem health
Many landowners are already doing valuable work in these areas, and this could provide an opportunity to build on existing efforts with additional support.
Your Input Matters
While we have a range of data, tools, and opportunities to share, the most important input will be from the community.
Local knowledge, experience, and ideas will play a key role in shaping what happens next across the catchment.
We encourage all members and stakeholders to come along, learn more, and be part of the conversation. Invite your neighbours along so we can make a real difference together. We look forward to having you join us.
You are welcome to register on our website events page here.
Hei konā mai
West Waikato Coastal Community Catchment Inc, Te Akau, Waikato, New Zealand