This statement is one of the strategic priorities identified in our Long-term Plan, and it describes an approach to environmental stewardship called Integrated Catchment Management (ICM). ‘Mai i ngā maunga ki te moana' ('from the mountains to the sea') illustrates the idea that every part of the environment in a catchment is connected, including land, water, biodiversity and people, with no part in isolation. For example, activities like planting trees to prevent erosion in a catchment's upper reaches can also have positive benefits for ecosystems and communities downstream.
A catchment is like a big bowl made of land. When it rains, all the water in that bowl runs downhill into the same river, lake, or the sea. For example, in the Whanganui River catchment, water begins as rainfall and springs near Mt Tongariro, then flows into small tributary streams. These streams join to form the Whanganui River, which flows through areas such as Taumarunui and Whanganui before reaching the sea. Everything on the land in the 'bowl', including farming, forests and towns, can affect the river, the life in it, and the life it supports.
Catchments are interconnected systems with natural boundaries. That's why it makes sense to manage them as complete systems.
We've committed to shifting to an ICM approach over the next few years – bringing together different activities and structures to look after our land, water, biodiversity and communities as one connected system. Instead of working on issues separately, we'll coordinate our efforts across whole catchments to get better results for everyone. We'll bring together activities that often happen separately, such as:
River management
Protecting native plants and animals
Monitoring water quality
Controlling pests and weeds
Engaging with communities
Making governance decisions
By connecting these activities, we'll make sure they work together. For example, water quality monitoring will help us decide where to focus river management work. Biodiversity projects will complement flood protection. And your community input will help shape the decisions we make. We're committed to working alongside the community to set catchment priorities, acknowledging the importance of local knowledge and values in guiding our efforts.
We'll be planning and delivering services based on natural catchment boundaries. Our region is likely to have at least seven catchments based on Freshwater Management Units. This will build on integrated work we already do at Horizons, but gives us more opportunities to coordinate better across all our activities and include more community input. We may develop Integrated Catchment Management Plans for each catchment. These plans will be one way to put ICM into action.
The Resource Management Act requires all regional councils to manage natural resources in an integrated way. ICM is one way we'll effectively meet this legal responsibility. Some other regional councils around New Zealand are introducing similar programmes. It's also one of the four strategic priorities in our 2024-34 Long-term Plan.
Find out more about our Long-term Plan
We're currently at the beginning of developing this programme, and some parts will need careful planning, especially around how we operate and fund the work. We intend to complete the scoping and design work by 2028, and to implement the programme by 2030. Your local knowledge and values will be important to us. We're committed to working with communities to set priorities for each catchment as we develop this programme. Check this page regularly to follow our progress and find out how you can get involved.