Living Streams
Environment Southland established the Living Streams programme in 2005 as part of our long term strategy to improve the health of Southland’s waterways for the benefit of landowners, the wider community and the environment.
Water quality is influenced by the actions of the whole community in each catchment. Just as your community’s water quality is affected by activities upstream, so your own activities can affect water quality downstream.
Click here to find out what you can do to help protect water quality in your catchment.
The Living Streams team is currently working with communities in the following catchments:
New catchments sought
The opportunity has now arisen for groups within other catchments who are passionate about water quality to express their interest in joining the programme.
For more information, download the expression of interest form below.
Water Quality Information
Our scientists regularly collect water quality information within Southland’s catchments so we can monitor changes in water quality. In Living Streams catchments, we also test water along property boundaries. This enables us to provide relevant and specific water quality information to the people living in that area. In areas where landowners are experiencing problems with water quality, we can investigate sources of pollution.
Click here for more information about water quality in your area.
Community Engagement
Through activities such as farm visits, field days, meetings and surveys, we share our findings with the community, and identify what is most valued about the waterways and what the community would like to see enhanced in the future.
Living Streams can help groups of community members to build a shared vision for their catchment and identify solutions that will benefit the whole community and improve the health of waterways flowing through their lands.
Newsletters
Sustainable Land Management
We visit landowners to provide free information and advice and help them implement sustainable land management practices. Sometimes we can provide financial assistance for activities that will enhance water quality.
By participating in the Living Streams programme:
- Landowners gain increased understanding of water quality and sustainable land management practices on their farms that will reduce the loss of nutrients, increase profit and improve water quality.
- Community members gain knowledge and a sense of achievement by working with neighbours to reach a common goal.
- The environment gains improved health and biodiversity (e.g. frogs, fish, bird life, plants).
Click here for more information about sustainable land management practices.
Financial assistance for riparian management projects
Living Streams can provide information, advice and financial assistance for projects such as:
- Fencing streams and wetlands to exclude stock
- Establishing suitable plants along stream banks
- Constructing culverts or stock crossings over streams
- Establishing wetlands on properties
- Providing alternative (reticulated) stock water systems
Click here for more information about Living Streams grants.
Downloads
Glossary
Catchment: The land area that contributes the river's or stream's flow.
Riparian Area / Margins: Land situated along the bank of a lake, river, wetland or other water body.
Sustainable Management: Managing the use, development and protection of natural and physical resources in a way, or at a rate, which enables people and communities to provide for their social, economic and cultural wellbeing and for their health and safety while -
- sustaining the potential of natural and physical resources (excluding minerals) to meet the reasonably foreseeable needs of future generations; and
- safeguarding the life-supporting capacity of air, water, soil and ecosystems; and
- avoiding, remedying or mitigating any adverse effects of activities on the environment.
Who to Contact
Contact a Living Streams team member at:
Environment Southland
Private Bag 90116, Invercargill
P: +64 3 211-5115
P: 0800 76 88 45 (within Southland only)
F: +64 3 211-5252
E: service@es.govt.nz
Environment Southland is the brand name of Southland Regional Council.