WAI Stories
Here you will find all of WAI Wānaka’s newsletters and blog posts. Click on the image or title to read the full story.
Visit our links page for other documents, resources and links to related websites.
- Adopt a Drain – Winter 2026
Welcome to our ‘Adopt a Drain’ Winter Newsletter With the storms we’ve experienced over the winter, what happens when rain hits our roads is as important… Read more - Why do catchment groups matter – the Lake Hāwea catchment group
In our previous blog, we explored WAI Wānaka’s on-farm biodiversity monitoring programme, where farmers across the Upper Clutha are collecting data to further understand the health of the natural systems on their land. But understanding the environment is only the first step. The next challenge is turning that knowledge into action. - Andrew Tischler x WAI Wānaka: Protecting the Places That Inspire Us
At WAI Wānaka, we believe that when people feel connected to nature, they’re more likely to care for it. That’s one of the reasons we’re… Read more - Understanding our land: WAI Wānaka’s on-farm Environmental Monitoring Programme
Across the Upper Clutha, farmers are taking a closer look at the natural systems that support their land, from the soil beneath their feet to the… Read more - From student to scientist: Emma’s freshwater journey
The Studentship Programme, supported by the University of Otago – Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka and Lincoln University – Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki, supports students across undergraduate and postgraduate study to build careers in science… Read more - Richness, abundance, density…and other ways to argue about biodiversity
An opinion piece, written by Ben Youngman, WAI’s Science and Research Lead. International Day for Biological Diversity tends to arrive with a familiar parade of… Read more - Why Lake Wānaka is Being Sprayed for Invasive Lake Weed This May
Updated as of 25 May: LINZ have said the Diquat spraying has been delayed another 2 weeks. With a further update coming Monday 8 June…. Read more - Growing the future – Rebecca and Ben Trotter
Rebecca (Bex) and Ben Trotter, alongside their young family, are part of a new generation of Upper Clutha farmers redefining what modern farming can look… Read more - Stormwater: Through the Lens of Urban Strategy and Community in Our Catchment
Written by Lottie Oatts & Jose Cranfield Stormwater within WAI Wānaka’s Urban Strategy It has been a particularly rainy summer here in the Upper Clutha,… Read more - Adopt a Drain – Autumn 2026
Welcome to our ‘Adopt a Drain’ Autumn Newsletter The summer has flown by, and we can’t believe it’s the time for our Autumn edition already! We’ve got… Read more - Bridging Worlds at the Wānaka A&P Show: Inside the Agri Exchange Tent
Each March, the Wānaka A&P Show transforms the lakefront into a vibrant celebration of rural life, innovation, community spirit, and the deep connections that sustain… Read more - If You Love It, You Can Protect It
Using the Lakes Responsibly This Summer This summer, we’ve been inviting everyone to use the lakes responsibly. Whether you are a local, a visitor or… Read more - Glendhu Station: Intergenerational Stewardship, Innovation and Environmental Leadership
Nestled between the Motatapu River and the lower Fern Burn, Glendhu Station stands as one of the Upper Clutha’s most compelling examples of intergenerational land… Read more - International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026
Celebrating the women protecting these waterways. Every year on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we’re reminded of the power of diverse… Read more - Swimming the Length of Lake Wānaka: A Conversation with Livi Schmid
If you can lap it, you can protect it. As part of our summer campaign, we’re speaking with locals whose lives are shaped by the… Read more - Stronger Together: How the Upper Clutha Rural Strategy Supports Farmers and Aligns with National Priorities
The Upper Clutha Rural Strategy 2030 marks a major step forward for our rural communities. Developed collaboratively by farmers across the Upper Clutha and supported… Read more - Behind WAI’s Short Film ‘Water is Life’: A Conversation with Zoe Hawkins
If you can dive in it, you can protect it. As part of our summer campaign, we’re asking some epic locals how they use the… Read more - Adopt a Drain – Summer 2025/26
Welcome to our ‘Adopt a Drain’ Summer Newsletter Summer in the Upper Clutha is in full swing – longer days, activities, parties, lake dips and out on the… Read more - Guardians of Glen Dene: Richard and Sarah Burdon’s Vision for a Sustainable High Country
Positioned between the shimmering waters of Lake Hāwea and Lake Wānaka, Glen Dene Station is more than just a high country farm—it’s a living legacy… Read more - Working Together for the Future of the Alpine Lakes
New Zealand’s alpine lakes are among the most pristine and iconic freshwater systems in the world. However, their health cannot be taken for granted. These… Read more - Adopt a Drain – Spring 2025
Welcome to our ‘Adopt a Drain’ Spring Newsletter Spring into cleaner waterways and healthier journeys! Across Aotearoa, communities are embracing active transport – walking and cycling… Read more - Collective Action Against Pest Plants & Animals
In the heart of the Upper Clutha catchment, the On Farm Environmental Support (OFES) programme is proudly carrying forward the momentum of Jobs for Nature—working… Read more - Citizen Science: Why Researchers Can’t Go It Alone
For many people, the word “science” conjures an image of serious looking researchers in lab coats surrounded by complicated machinery. While science can certainly involve… Read more - Adopt a Drain – Winter 2025Welcome to our ‘Adopt a Drain’ Winter newsletter Winter changes the way water behaves. When snow and ice build up, stormwater drainage systems can become… Read more
- Embracing Te Taiao – On the Farm: Learning beyond the classroom
Utilising the last weeks of summer, February saw us hosting Year 8 students from Te Kura o Tititea / Mount Aspiring College on farms across… Read more - Artists Talk & Digital Photography Exhibition
Nick Netzler, a photographer from Wellington, travelled to Wānaka earlier this year, as part of Creative NZ’s Pacific Arts Nature Residencies. His first time in… Read more - Keeping It Clear: How Can We Protect the Upper Clutha’s Precious Waterways
Many of us have lived here a long time and watched the Upper Clutha’s lakes and rivers through the seasons and decades–from glassy calm mornings… Read more - Riding 600km for Freshwater Conservation, The Old-Fashioned Way
This June, Tanguy Nissou is taking on a challenge to give back to Wānaka, the place where he has been a working-holiday-local. He’ll be biking… Read more - Valuing Nature: Why Natural Capital Matters
Natural capital and ecosystem services are not just abstract concepts—they are the foundation of our economy, well-being, and way of life. Yet, because nature lacks… Read more - Adopt a Drain – Autumn 2025
Welcome to our ‘Adopt a Drain’ autumn newsletter With the weather cooling down, and clocks going back, it certainly feels like we’ve bid goodbye to… Read more - A Teeny Tiny Trip to Queenstown: An Above-Average Day in the Life of the WAI Microplastics Summer Scholar
By Alice Gilbert (WAI Summer Scholar). My day started early, I was up before the sunrise and excited to go sample microplastics at Lake Hayes,… Read more - Taking action for World Water Day
In te reo Māori, wai means water – the lifeblood of all things and the world’s most precious resource. Here in the Upper Clutha, we all… Read more - The Changing Face of Our Lakes: What You Need to Know
Recent reports have raised concerns about declining water quality in the Upper Clutha lakes – Lake Wānaka, Whakatipu and Hāwea. While these lakes, on many… Read more - Adopt a Drain – Summer 2025
Welcome to our ‘Adopt a Drain’ summer newsletter 2024 was a big year for our Adopt a Drain programme. We now have over 30 neighbourhoods involved in… Read more - January Newsletter 2025
Kā mihi o te tau hou – Happy new year! As we dive into 2025, it’s clear local waterways need our attention more than ever…. Read more - Swimming for a Cause: Livi’s 44km Challenge Across Lake Wānaka
By Georgie Hughes (WAI Volunteer). We are now well and truly into 2025 and many of us will be trying to make those New Year’s… Read more - A Ruby Island Adventure with Local Teachers and Natur-ED
We’re lucky here at WAI to be part of Natur-ED, a collective of community organisations. Te Kākano, Grow Wānaka, Southern Lakes Sanctuary, WAI Wānaka and… Read more - Match, Learn and Play with Freshwater Finders
This holiday season, we’re excited to introduce Freshwater Finders, a matching symbols game designed to bring tamariki and whānau together while learning about Wānaka’s waterways…. Read more - October Newsletter 2024
This month we’re asking: what would life be like if swimming in the lakes and rivers we cherish was no longer possible? At the start of… Read more - Adopt a Drain – Spring 2024
Welcome to our ‘Adopt a Drain’ spring newsletter Spring is here, bringing with it yardwork and gardening galore. But did you know some of your… Read more - How Does Your Garden Grow?
By Georgie Hughes (WAI Volunteer). The picture-perfect lawn has long been upheld in our culture as the ultimate garden goal. First popularised in the 17th… Read more - August Newsletter 2024
From rural landscapes to urban neighbourhoods, local groups are keeping busy this winter season, making moves to restore the environment and protect local waterways. We’ve… Read more - United Against Rabbits: A Rural and Urban Approach
Rabbits may seem harmless at a glance, but their unchecked population growth can have devastating impacts on native ecosystems and productive farmland. Here in the… Read more - Ripples of Research: Natural Capital Part One
Introducing Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services This blog is the first of a three-part series that aims to provide readers with a general understanding of… Read more - Citizen Science: Join the Research Revolution
What is citizen science? The term has been gaining popularity over the last decade, and for good reason! Citizen science is all about everyday people… Read more - More Than Your Average Beach Clean-Up
Last Thursday, as part of Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu / National Volunteer Week, we teamed up with Love Wānaka and Wastebusters for an amazing ‘Cleaning… Read more - Adopt a Drain – Winter 2024
Welcome to our ‘Adopt a Drain’ winter newsletter Our Adopt a Drain Winter newsletter is here – a tool to help you and your whānau… Read more - June Newsletter 2024
Our June newsletter is bursting at the seams with news – including an upcoming volunteer event, a new tool for viewing the health of our… Read more - Embracing Te Taiao – On the Farm: 7 Farms, 190+ Students, and a Whole Lot of Fun
Earlier this year we had the privilege of welcoming the Year 8s from Te Kura o Tititea / Mount Aspiring College onto farms throughout the… Read more - April Newsletter 2024
As the cold sets in, our April newsletter is here to bring some warmth to your day. Packed with community news, upcoming initiatives and the… Read more - Adopt a Drain – Autumn 2024
Welcome to our ‘Adopt a Drain’ autumn newsletterThis season we’re keeping things simple by focusing on something we can all do to help decrease stormwater… Read more - Our first Newsletter of 2024!
Whether your year kicked off with a busy or relaxing start, we hope you’ve been able to get outside and enjoy what our beautiful backyard… Read more - Meet the Interns – A catch-up with Emma, Georgie and Cora
This summer we welcomed three incredible interns here at WAI, working on a range of projects and initiatives. These three wāhine have far surpassed our… Read more - Adopt a Drain – Summer 2024
Ngā mihi o te Tau Hou / Happy New Year ✨ Summer has come in hot – just like our Adopt a Drain Newsletter ☀… Read more - December Newsletter
Can you believe it’s the end of December already? We welcome you to our last newsletter of 2023, your portal into some of the most… Read more - November Newsletter
Did you hear the news about the Australasian crested grebe / kāmana becoming New Zealand’s ‘Bird of the Century’? Talk about going viral! Kāmana (also… Read more - Adopt a Drain – Spring 2023
It’s time for our ‘Adopt a Drain’ newsletter – spring edition! As we gear up for the warmer days ahead, it’s time to talk about… Read more - Sampling for microplastics with the Wānaka community
A little bit of rain, a little bit of sunshine and a whole lot of sampling for microplastics! We had so much fun hosting a… Read more - October Newsletter
Spring is in the air, and so is our October newsletter – your portal to upcoming events, initiatives, and feel-good community news. Let’s dive into it, shall we? Have… Read more - Microplastics research project kicks off in Wānaka
WAI Wānaka has initiated research into microplastics in local freshwater environments following funding success from The Otago Participatory Science Platform, Curious Minds, Ten Square Games… Read more - Community Stormwater Action
Community groups join WAI in protecting waterways from stormwater pollution The Drains are Streams programme is ramping up at WAI. Both in the classroom and… Read more - August Newsletter
Is the health of our lakes changing? When it comes to the deep lakes of our region, caring for the unseen can be challenging. Monitoring… Read more - Adopt a Drain – Winter 2023
Winter is here, and so is our ‘Adopt a Drain’ newsletter – winter edition! Don’t let the cold fool you – our actions still matter,… Read more - Winter updates
It’s Plastic Free July and we’re excited to be diving deeper into A Teeny-Tiny Truth, a research project exploring microplastics in Lake Wānaka. Plastic Free July isn’t… Read more - Taking Care of Tyre Gully
Kia ora kotou, My name is Ben and I am the Science Communicator here at WAI Wānaka. Part of my job is to keep you… Read more - Water Citizen Scientists unite!
Hey there, welcome to the water clarity data collection community! We’ve got something pretty cool to tell you about – ever heard of a Secchi… Read more - May 2023 Newsletter
We’ve been gearing up for some exciting new community projects and initiatives here at WAI. We are thrilled to announce we have received funding to… Read more - Adopt a Drain – Autumn 2023
Welcome to the ‘Adopt a Drain’ community! We are thrilled to share the first edition of our seasonal ‘Adopt a Drain’ newsletter with you. This… Read more - Take action this Autumn
We have had a busy summer preparing lots of opportunities for you to make a difference in your backyard. Check out the list of important mahi… Read more - Rural update April 2023
This month the Jobs for Nature team are busy working with landowners planting natives throughout the catchment. We’ve also been out filming some of the action – come… Read more - Growing together
Let’s celebrate our community planting over 45,000 native trees across the Upper Clutha Catchment over the last five years. The Wānaka Water Project and WAI’s… Read more - Rural update March 2023
What a month we have had here in Wānaka! We have welcomed some much needed rain which lifted the river flows and has hopefully woken up your pastures… Read more - WAI in the community
It’s been a difficult time for many recently – with droughts affecting our region whilst floods have devastated communities in the north. A question that has… Read more - Rural update February 2023
The field team continues to be busy with plant maintenance and watering, with some rabbit netting for variety. A reminder to those landowners looking to… Read more - What role can you play in protecting our special place?
With summer in full swing, we hope you and your whānau have been out enjoying our lakes and rivers here in the Upper Clutha. After… Read more - Rural update January 2023
We hope you had a chance to take a break over the Christmas and New Year period to spend some time with friends and family and to… Read more - Wrapping up 2022
2022 has been a bustling year here at WAI Wānaka. Protecting our beautiful lakes and rivers would not be possible without your support. From generous donations, to… Read more - ALL THINGS URBAN AT WAI
As the urban communities of Wānaka, Hāwea, Luggate, Cardrona and Makarora continue to grow, so too does the need to look after our urban environments…. Read more - Do you love our alpine lakes?
This gifting season we invite you to look after your treasured alpine lakes – Lake Wānaka and Lake Hāwea – and their surrounding waterways by supporting education and… Read more - Rural update November 2022
No doubt you’ll be flat out as spring gets into full swing. The teams out in the field have their work cut out over the… Read more - WAI’s spring update
Spring is a fresh start in nature and a time to clear out some clutter, remove weeds and plant the right trees in the right… Read more - Protecting our living treasures
Nuwan De Silva thinks all fish deserve protection. He shares his experiences with WAI Wānaka. Nuwan De Silva is an Estuaries and Freshwater Scientist at… Read more - Work with nature: Tania’s story
This week is WAI Wānaka’s galaxiids week. We hope to raise awareness of the lesser known native fish by giving them a voice. Looking after… Read more - A passion for galaxiids
Ash Rabel is WAI Wānaka’s resident scientist, with a passion for galaxiids and protecting Aotearoa’s habitats on land and especially water. Ash explains how WAI… Read more - Rural update September 2022
We are very excited this month to introduce our new Farm Lead, Magali Domingo! Some of you will recognise Magali (or Maggie) from her work with… Read more - Rural update August 2022
Welcome back to your rural update! We have two great events coming up in the next couple of weeks. It’s all about young farmers and biodiversity farm… Read more - The more we know, the better we do!
E mao ana ki ua, e ua ana ki mao.It is fine until it rains, it rains until it’s fine. Welcome to WAI Wānaka’s winter update! It’s… Read more - Science Blog – future research
Kia ora kotou, Time for a further update on research in the Upper Clutha. Previous science blogs have covered historic and current research in our… Read more - Rural Update 28 July 2022
We’ve achieved a lot over the last couple of years working together through the Jobs for Nature programme. With the addition of funding through the ‘Knowledge… Read more - Knowledge into Action for Te Taiao
WAI Wānaka has been working with the Upper Clutha community since 2016 to protect and enhance ecosystem health and community wellbeing across rural, urban and… Read more - Rural update July 2022
‘For Māori, Te Taiao is the natural world that contains and surrounds humanity in an interconnected relationship of respect.’ Taiao Ora, Tangata Ora Knowledge into… Read more - Better together
By working together, we empower communities to understand their water, their environment, and their impact. The first official Matariki public holiday has brought forward many beautiful… Read more - Rural update June 2022
The team are up-skilling on the chainsaws to tackle the ever increasing wilding pine issue. It’s a great time of year to be getting on… Read more - WAI Wānaka news
Welcome to the latest WAI Wānaka newsletter! Find out what’s been happening, learn about upcoming events and how you can get involved. We are also looking… Read more - Rural update May 2022
Last week, Ash was at the top of the Cardrona Valley installing a temporary fish passage barrier with DOC to help protect our endangered native… Read more - Fostering behaviours of belonging
WAI Wānaka’s relationship with schools is flourishing. More tamariki and rangatahi are getting involved in environmental mahi, and more local schools want to work with WAI. We need your help to make it happen. - Science Blog – current research
This is WAI Wānaka’s second science blog post. Find out about some recent research that has been happening within our Alpine Lakes. This list is by no extent exhaustive, but highlights some key bits of work occurring. - New research commissioned
We are excited to announce a project with the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) to start a short-term study of currents in Lake Wānaka. This is the first research of its type on the deep-water lakes in our area. - Rural update April 2022
We have our Autumn team trained up and ready to go! It’s a bit dry for planting so a perfect chance to get them started… Read more - Rural update March 2022
In this update we talk about upcoming winter planting, biodiversity monitoring and pest control and welcome Tom to the management team!