Collaboration, Behaviour Change & Partnership
Upper Clutha communities place a high value on the environment, with many different groups working to provide an enduring legacy for future generations. WAI Wānaka seek to build a strong collaborative model for the stewardship of our environment by connecting the many individuals, community groups, iwi, landowners, regulators and businesses undertaking positive work towards safeguarding water, improving ecosystem health and reversing biodiversity loss.
Below is the list of actions related to collaboration and behaviour change as identified in the Community Catchment Plan. The actions show the current status of progress and who is responsible for their achievement.
Engagement Strategy
Develop an engagement strategy with the Ministry for the Environment (MfE), Otago Regional Council (ORC), Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) and community to break down barriers between various parties and encourage collaboration.
Need to set out critical areas and how to overcome them, how to influence community actions through the use of social science, timeframes and agreement of KPIs.
Progress
- The Wānaka Water Project governance group is made up of representatives from each of the above organisations.
- Communities of Practice pilot.
Implementation
WAI Wānaka communication and engagement strategy.
Systemic Design Approach
Utilise systemic design approaches to identify, plan likely changes required and how we get things done at each of multiple levels (institutional, group/sector, and individual) across the catchment system.
Implementation
WAI Wānaka communication and engagement strategy.
Planning & Assessment Tools
Develop tailored planning and assessment tools to guide the use of collaborative and multi-sector partnerships.
Implementation
WAI Wānaka communication and engagement strategy.
Support behaviour change interventions
Support behaviour change interventions by using a mix of approaches and measures drawn from across the 4Es - enable, encourage, exemplify, engage - to address the core motivations and barriers of the full range of stakeholders involved – including agencies themselves (Dolan et al. 2010).
Progress
- Facilitation of catchment groups to support them in their behaviour change journey and connect them with experts and stakeholders.
- Building of intergenerational capacity by bringing 18-30 yr olds into governance by setting up a youth project.
- Urban Catchment Group community-led action initiatives.
Implementation
WAI Wānaka communication and engagement strategy.
Balance technical information with social and cultural processes
Balance the development of technical information with social and cultural processes to ensure that such information is effectively shared, understood and used to change environmental practice at all appropriate decision-making levels.
Progress
- Science reports and planting plans converted into blogs so that community with less scientific knowledge can learn from our processes and understand our work.
- Working with industry and experts to understand the requirements and feed them into real world examples of how farmers can make effective business decisions, that encourage positive environmental outcomes on farms.
- Annual Lake Science Summit being developed.
Implementation
WAI Wānaka communication and engagement strategy.
Build institutional capacity for integrated environmental initiatives
Build institutional capacity for integrated environmental initiatives that includes personnel with complementary skills in the management of participation, two-way engagement and conflict and the integration of social and biophysical elements required for collaborative adaptive management.
Implementation
WAI Wānaka communication and engagement strategy.
Annual meetings about upcoming research, monitoring and actions
Arrange annual meetings of regulatory bodies and WAI Wānaka to reach agreement on what research, monitoring or actions need to happen in the upcoming year.
If an item is not able to be undertaken by a regulatory body, and the Community Catchment Plan has supported it as a priority, then the best way for this to occur needs to determined (e.g. WAI Wānaka progress, follow processes to submit on plan/policy and get action adopted).
Progress
QLDC and ORC to attend and provide updates.
Implementation
Ongoing – preferably scheduled in alignment with councils’ annual planning processes
Create a forum for environment groups
Create a forum for environment groups (landowners, urban and entities such as DoC) to meet and create an integrated process for more structured engagement and awareness of challenges, solutions and plans.
Progress
Exploring a ‘Community of Practice‘ for the Upper Clutha region is underway. This hopes to achieve all of these points.
Implementation
WAI Wānaka communication and engagement strategy.
Establish the Alpine Lakes Research and Education Centre
Establish the Alpine Lakes Research and Education Centre (ALREC) in Wānaka to foster research, technology, innovation and knowledge sharing. Support ALREC as a base for projects addressing science, education and behaviour change.
Progress
- Education outreach is establishing a large base of young people and teachers in the Upper Clutha who would use such a facility if it were available.
- Ongoing engagement with research institutes, building internship capacities, and expanding WAI’s internal testing capacity creating a basis for ALREC.
Educate on littering / use of toilets
Educate on littering / use of toilets – especially freedom camping / tourists who are visiting the area. Align with education undertaken by QLDC linked to enforcement of the Freedom Camping Bylaw 2019 in the District.
Progress
Falls within the responsibility of QLDC Parks and Waste Minimisation teams.
Implementation
Funding through QLDC’s Long-Term Plan and Annual Plan consultation process.
Water sensitive options for individuals
Create education material on water sensitive options for individuals (e.g. rainwater capture, greywater recycling, impacts of detergents (“down the drain”) etc).
Progress
QLDC currently progressing through a website upgrade, with links proposed to educational resources on water conservation, pollution prevention, stormwater quality and other related aspects.
WAI Wānaka is raising awareness and creating educational materials with the ‘Our Drains are Streams‘ project.
Implementation
Funding through QLDC’s Long-Term Plan and Annual Plan consultation process.
Education Programmes
Build on current education programmes for primary and high school children, e.g. Touchstone, Sustainable Coastlines, Enviroschools etc.
Progress
WAI Wānaka’s education programme for primary and high school children includes
Implementation
WAI Wānaka communication and engagement strategy.
Expand engagement on water quality
Continue to expand engagement on water quality and its importance in region, along with everyday things we can all do to help.
Progress
- This is WAI and engagement with the public through the WAI Wānaka website, facebook, instagram
- Matariki, Waterwise, Schools, Young people in governance
- Facilitating Urban Catchment Groups to take action for water quality and ecosystem health
- Community Collaboration
QLDC currently progressing through a website upgrade, with links proposed to educational resources on water conservation, pollution prevention, stormwater quality and other related aspects. Communication will be considered through other forms, such as social media.
Implementation
WAI Wānaka communication and engagement strategy.
EXPLORE THE OTHER ACTIONS
LAND MANAGEMENT
URBAN DEVELOPMENT
ECOSYSTEM ACTIONS
