The 380 Lakes National Projects Hui

Our Nga Puna Rau o Rangitikei Environmental project group had the opportunity to collaborate with a dedicated team from GNS Science & Cawthron Institute as part of the extensive 380 Lakes national project, alongside our Horizons partners and a representative from the Ministry of Environment, highlighting the importance of teamwork in this initiative.

We are grateful to our whanau at Ngati Apa for generously providing a venue for our two-day wananga, which included a day focused on cultural connections, an informative field visit to Lake Te Kawau, and a productive question-and-answer session aimed at enhancing our knowledge of this significant project. Within our catchment area, we have identified two key lakes that will be integral to this programme: the well-known Lake Oporoa and Lake Te Kawau.

Back row L-R: Riki Ellison (Ngāi Tahu/Lakes380), Logan Brown (Horizons Regional Council), Scott Moore (Horizons Regional Council), Reece Martin (Ngāti Whitikaupeka/Lakes380), Neville Lomax (Ngāti Hauiti), Andrew Rees (Victoria University of Wellington/Lakes380), Marcus Vandergoes (GNS Science/Lakes380), Robert Martin (Ngāti Hauiti), Rawiri Smith (Ngati Kahungunu/Lakes380), Dave Kelly (Cawthron Institute/Lakes380).
Front row L-R: Charlotte Šunde (Cawthron Institute/Lakes380), Chris Shenton (Ngāti Apa), Barbara Ball (Ngāti Whitikaupeka), Dianne Saunders (Ngāti Tamakōpiri), Kiely McFarlane (Cawthron Institute/Lakes380), Marj Heeney (Ngāti Whitikaupeka, Ngāi Te Ohuake), Moira Raukawa Haskell (Ngāti Tamakōpiri), Dan Shenton (Ministry for the Environment, Ngāti Apa).
Missing from the photo: Mike Paki (Ngāti Apa), Grant Huwyler (Ngāti Apa).