Building resilient land and waterways - Matakana catchment
Description
An on-farm event focused on building practical ways to build resilience on productive land, now and into the future.
Tackle real issues: understanding soil types and erosion processes, maintaining access, protecting infrastructure, improving water quality and enhancing biodiversity.
This is a working session. Duncan Kervell, land and catchment management advisor, will work alongside you to discuss what’s happening on your land and explore realistic solutions that work within farm systems.
Hosted at the Trotter dairy farm, the session will feature a case study with Ian, Jo and Michelle Trotter, who will share their experience of improving waterways, protecting native bush and adapting their farm. Drone footage will show how this work looks on the ground.
Friends of Awa Matakanakana and Alaina from Auckland Council’s Waterway Protection Fund can answer your questions on funding and support.
Come along, share what works, and talk about practical steps you can take right now to support farm, orchard and vineyard viability and the long-term health of the land and waterways.
Who else will be there?
Ask Helen from The Forest Bridge Trust about services to manage mammalian and plant pests.
Frankie from Trees for Survival will have ideas for planting support that could be available for you.
We will have the barbecue sizzling for your lunch.
PLUS - Be in to win a WilderLab eDNA mini kit to get a snapshot of the life in waterways on your land.
The Awa Matakanakana community-led integrated catchment plan project team wants to hear your thoughts about the farms, orchards, vineyards, village, roads, rivers, streams and estuary that form the Matakana catchment; hear your stories that connect you to the land and rivers and understand what is important to you about the future.
This is one of five events to discuss the future of our catchment. The outcome will be a publicly accessible community-led catchment plan that can be used to:
Provide a clear, shared direction for future catchment actions
Help communities, landowners, local hapu, industry and agencies work together effectively
Provide a single source of information to support planning and decision making. Available as a publicly accessible live online resource
Source scientific data, local knowledge, mātauranga Māori and best practice examples to identify practical actions to improve land stability, water quality, biodiversity, and resilience
Support long-term outcomes such as: reduced erosion, improved water quality from hills to the harbour, healthier ecosystems and increased biodiversity, more resilient communities and livelihoods
For more information, email awamkk.icmp@gmail.com
FAQs
- What are the Awa Matakanakana catchment boundaries?
Awa Matakanakana is shaped by mixed land uses, strong connections between land, rivers, estuary, and marine environments - and rapidly growing local and visitor populations.
It is approximately 6,000 hectares.
There are tow main rivers: 14.2 km Matakana River + 13.8 km Waikumete/Glen Eden River + multiple tributaries as well as estuarine environments at Sandspit.
These all flow into Kawau Bay, affecting Brick Bay, Snells Beach and Buckleton Beach.
- What if I can't make the field day?
You are welcome to contact us and participate in other ways, or attend the subsequent workshops tentatively scheduled for April and June, 2026.
For more information, email awamkk.icmp@gmail.com
- Who is behind the Awa Matakanakana Community-led Integrated Catchment Plan?
Friends of Awa Matakanakana have brought together a small, team whose role is to listen and empower. However, it is 'owned' by the community - not any one organisation.
They are looking forward, not back. What’s been done before doesn’t limit the community-led integrated catchment plan.
Project team
Jo Davidson – Project Chair, FOAM
Chris Morgan – Project Manager, FOAM
Martin Evans – Technical Catchment Advisor, FOAM
John Collins – Catchment history and culture, FOAM
Duncan Kervell – Land & Catchment Management Advisor, Kervell Consulting Ltd
Jackie Russell – Engagement & Facilitation, FOAM
Katie Owen – Advisor, Auckland Council - Healthy Waters
- Will the integrated catchment plan be legally binding?
No, an integrated catchment plan is not legally binding. It does not replace statutes, regulations, and common law, nor is it about introducing compliance requirements.
A catchment plan is an indication of the community's intent and for it to succeed we need your input and support.
- Could you use the integrated catchment plan developed for Whangateau in 2025?
No.
That was their community's voice and priorities and we need to hear what our community values about Awa Matakanakana.
Also, the catchments have geographic, biological, social and economic differences.
- Who is funding the Awa Matakanakana Community-led Integrated Catchment Plan?
The CICP process is being driven by volunteers from Friends of Awa Matakanakana.
Rodney Local Board and Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters Rural Wai Ora Partnerships have provided support and funding for workshop expenses and the input of Duncan Kervell, a land and catchment management advisor.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity