Taumarunui West Catchment Group 

2025 Horizons Catchment Group Showcase: Taumarunui West Catchment Group

The Taumarunui West Catchment Group has been instrumental in fostering a sense of community, along with empowering farmers to be better stewards of the environment.

The group was established 2021, spearheaded by local farmers Nick Street and Alan Blake who recognised the need for a collective approach to improving land and water quality. Since then, this collaborative initiative has brought together local farmers and others within the Horizons community to address shared environmental challenges.

Today the group is comprised of about 20 properties, meaning almost half of the catchment’s landowners are involved. Their goal is to make a positive difference to their environment by focusing on water quality, education and fostering community spirit.

When it comes to water quality, the group has initiated comprehensive water quality assessments, providing valuable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of local waterways. Ultimately, this data is enabling farmers to identify areas for improvement and allows them to track the effectiveness of conservation efforts.

Meanwhile, the group facilitates workshops and information sessions to educate farmers on good practices for land management, water quality and environmental sustainability.

Their work includes providing more than 1,000 poplar poles free of charge to members to support erosion control and improve stream bank stability. The group has also distributed 200 native plants and an additional 1,500 manuka plants to enhance biodiversity.

Farmers have been supported further in by the group actively helping them develop Farm Environment Plans that outline sustainable management practices for their individual properties.

Taumarunui West Catchment Group believes that a sense of shared responsibility among farmers and the wider community is crucial for the long-term success of the group. In a short space of time, they have already successfully demonstrated that working together can create a healthier and more sustainable future for their catchment’s collective land and water.