Stay connected with The Manuherekia Voice – our collective newsletter bringing you updates from the Manuherekia Catchment Group (MCG), the Thomsons Catchment, Ida Valley Catchment and the Waiora Manuherekia Project.
Photo: Manuherekia Frosts, credit SKFarms
From the GM: Key Milestones and What’s Next
We’re excited to bring you another edition of Manuherekia Voice.
30 June marked the end of funding within our catchment from Ministry for the Environment (MfE) (now known as Ministry of Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport). We have been fortunate to have funding from MfE for the Thomsons Catchment Project and more recently, Waiora Manuherekia which was a catchment wide project. We’ll take some time further in the newsletter to reflect what Waiora Manuherekia meant for our catchment.
The Thomsons Catchment volunteers remain very active and continue to have success on their trapping activities having now recorded 111 catches. Thanks to the last of the MfE Funding for farmer-led coordination activities, we were able to purchase some gear to assist the volunteers with their weekly trap runs.
Meanwhile, the Manuherekia Catchment Group continues to represent landowners across the region, supporting practical improvements, advocating for good policy, and working in partnership with agencies, iwi and stakeholders. Lately, this has meant looking at the 2025-26 irrigation season ecology reports and what a wetter season meant for us, as well as looking forward to next irrigation season. Read more in the newsletter to hear about what else is happening across the catchment because of the community coming together.
Stay tuned for updates on the exciting developments in our catchment, and thank you for your ongoing support!
Clare Hadley, General Manager, Manuherekia Catchment Group.
MCG is all about farmers leading the way in creating sustainable solutions for our catchment, especially concerning water quantity and quality. While we began with a focus on sustainable water practices, our work now extends far beyond that. Together, as a community, we are working with New Zealand's best experts to ensure that what we do benefits the environment, the river, and the community. Our initiatives include the Thomsons Project and the Waiora Manuherekia Project, all contributing to environmental resilience and vibrant, thriving communities.
Also in this edition, we feature articles about:
Catchment Management Plan and River Modelling
Stockwater Schemes developed within the catchment
AGM
Ecofund Announcement
Photo credit: SKFarms
Both the Waiora Manuherekia and Thomsons Projects fall under the umbrella of MCG, amplifying our collective efforts towards better water quality and biodiversity. The Waiora Manuherekia Project is focused on connecting our community to the Manuherekia River and enhancing its health through various environmental initiatives.
In this edition, we feature articles about:
Project Reflections
Why wetland maintenance matters
Both the Waiora Manuherekia and Thomsons Projects fall under the umbrella of MCG, amplifying our collective efforts towards better water quality and biodiversity. The Thomsons Project is a farmer-led initiative working towards improving water quality and supporting biodiversity in the region.
In this edition, we feature articles about:
Ecofund Announcement
Rare native plant found at Orkney Wetland
Manuherekia Catchment Group and Ida Valley Catchment Group are pleased to announce that Ida Valley Catchment Group are now operating as a sub-catchment group under MCG, the Ida Valley committee will still operate individually, just joining forces with MCG to reduce administrative overlap.
In this edition, we feature an article about:
Opportunity at Poolburn School nursery
Learn to grow native plants with Sandra Campbell
Date: Wednesday 19th August
Time: 12.30-2.30pm
Location: Weka Garden Shop, 577 Dunstan Road, Alexandra
No cost
Those who are keen can register via Humanitix: https://events.humanitix.com/native-revegetation-workshop
