The Motueka Catchment Collective unites landowners and communities across the Motueka River catchment to protect and restore their awa through shared knowledge, community action and long-term kaitiakitanga.
Few valleys in Aotearoa summon the same awe as the Motueka. The folded ridgelines, mystical light and breath-taking scenery receive deserved accolades. Residents of the Motueka Valley and it’s many tributaries are deeply connected to their awa.
The Motueka Catchment Collective was initiated in 2020 by concerned landowners in the Tapawera area with a strong desire to weave the communities in the Motueka catchment together, ensuring the wellbeing of the freshwater system and the surrounding environment.
By organising meetings, educating each other and engaging the younger generation, the local community is acting to protect and enhance the catchments as vital resources for the future. An inclusive spirit binds residents, who identify with the watercourses as common threads. They swim, walk, fish, paddle, picnic and socialise with the flowing water. They encourage interest in the freshwater ecosystems, and weave Mātauranga Māori knowledge and science together to generate a wave of enthusiasm to promote guardianship.
The Motueka Catchment Collective aspires to capture more local interest to inform decisions on priority actions, formulate plans and source funding.
