Community led catchment solutions

“TCC directly supports landowners, brings people together, and ensures the collaboration and engagement essential for effective catchment management,” said Paul Turner, TCC Project Manager.

“We’re an umbrella group supporting local catchment groups. Our focus is helping communities improve freshwater health, boost biodiversity, and use land in more sustainable ways.

“Taranaki’s landscape is incredibly varied, so each group has different needs. TCC applies for funding, manages budgets, and makes sure projects line up with our overall goals. Right now, a big part of that is collecting data to build a baseline—so we can understand what’s needed and measure the impact of our work.”

The group initially ran on MPI funding, but because that was tied to educational activities, it limited what TCC could do on the ground.

“Since Toi Foundation came on board, we’ve been able to put a range of practical freshwater projects into action,” said Paul.

“The Taranaki Regional Council supplied 3D LiDAR maps, and we used modelling to show where water flows and floods during heavy rain and to highlight the best spots for effluent control and projects that help stop chemicals and sediment reaching waterways.

“Now we’re creating a digital portal so farmers can access the mapping online.”

Other water-based TCC projects include increasing the monitoring of water quality from the current 47 sites, partnering with community groups, and improving fish passage in Taranaki’s waterways.

“In another project, we collaborated with Massey University to build a bioreactor that filters water through wood chips. It’s cheap, effective, and significantly reduces the amount of nitrogen flowing into the waterway.”

With 600 members already on board, TCC is looking to expand across Taranaki’s rural and urban catchment areas.

“We’re all about practical, effective and culturally appropriate solutions—creating that foundation for being good stewards of the land.”