Community Engagement & Outreach
As well a formal contract with Taupo District council, LWAG have regular Engagement with agencies and community groups within the wider Catchment region.
LWAG would like to thank Genesis Energy and Mercury for funding to assist with making this website possible. Mercury Energy and Taupo Beef have also supportED LWAG with other projects.
Community & Environmental Advocacy Groups
Lake Water Quality Society (LWQS) – LWAG are active supporters of this Rotorua Lakes-based advocacy group who run regular symposiums and circulate a newsletter
Advocates for the Tongariro River - are a community group made up of people passionate about the river. Their aim is to speak out, and promote ways to look after the Tongariro River so that it is there for all to enjoy in years to come. For the Advocates’ latest news, activate this link and check out their Blog and their Annual Report under ‘Library’. Valuable archival material is also available.
Greening Taupō & Kids Greening Taupō - has a shared mission of community conservation; building healthy neighborhoods by increasing the greenery and promoting green urban development. They provide opportunities to participate in community conservation initiatives. Kids Greening Taupō has a focus on learning through nature through enabling young people to participate in real life projects, increasing biodiversity, while promoting student leadership and positive educational outcomes.
Project Tongariro - has a focus of restoring the mauri of Tongariro National Park; protecting the native biodiversity through community managed conservation, education with hands-on involvement, support biological diversity, stop extinctions of native fauna and flora, reduce predators and re-introduce species and introduce endangered species into sufficiently protected areas.
Bike Taupō' - Bike Taupō is a cycling advocacy group, which was formed in October 2002 to create a community representation for Taupō cyclists. As well as promoting cycling as a healthy, environmentally friendly and convenient form of transport. Their extensive off-road tracks are maintained largely by volunteers who are also dedicated to conservation work including revegetation projects. Some of these are joint projects with Greening Taupō.
Other Taupo Catchment and associated groups including local Agencies , Territorials, Governance Groups & Commercial Operators
Taupō Lake Care (TLC) - Taupō Catchment farming group. Regular newsletters received and members attend our meetings
Lake Taupō Protection Trust (LTPT)- Formed in 2007 with the overall goal of reducing manageable nitrogen entering the lake by at least 20 per cent (170 tonnes per year). This process, completed in 2015, led to the planting of 7000ha of forest with covenants ‘locking in’ the nitrogen reductions in perpetuity. Covenanted properties require ongoing monitoring to ensure the public fund of $80 Million facilitating the land-use changes is not compromised. Ten years on from the Regional Plan policy enabling the nitrogen purchases, a new governance model for the LTPT is being finalised.
Waikato Regional Council (WRC) - The local government agency responsible for LakeTaupō water quality. A Taupō Zone Plan sets the strategic direction for Waikato Regional Council's integrated catchment management activities.
Taupō District Council – As well as hearing regular updates from staff, LWAG receive an operational grant from TDC through a community partnership agreement. We also have access to a free venue for our monthly meetings and admin support for our agendas etc.
Taupō Beef & Lamb - the Taupō Beef & Lamb: 'Grown Right Here’ brand was a joint initiative between Taupō catchment farmers and the Lakes & Waterways Action Group Trust, supported by Waikato Regional Council, Enterprise Taupō, and Destination Great Lake Taupō. By paying a premium, consumers contribute to the costs of protecting Lake Taupō
Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC)
Hawkes Bay Regional Council (HBRC)
Destination Great Lake Taupō (DGLT)
Lake Taupō Harbourmaster (Ministry of Internal Affairs – MIA)
Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board (TMTB)
Louise Upston - Local MP
Department of Conservation (DOC)
Tongariro National Trout Centre
Ministry for the Environment (MfE)
New Zealand Forest Managers (NZFM) - LWAG receive regular updates from New Zealand Forest Managers (NZFM) which are a small private forest management organisation. Currently their activities are concentrated around central North Island.
Mercury Energy including Waikato Catchment Ecological Trust (WCEET)
Pāmu Farms of New Zealand - Pāmu is the brand name for Landcorp Farming Limited. Pāmu values best practice in sustainable and safe farming, and the unique provenance of New Zealand foods, nutrition products and fibre for global markets. A cluster of farms in the Upper Waikato include organic dairy operations as well as a sheep milking initiative.
Universities
Waikato University Environmental Research Institute
Lake Ecosystem Research New Zealand (LERNZ)
Victoria University School of Government (Freshwater Ecologist Dr Mike Joy)
National Environmental Advocacy Groups
Environmental Defence Society (EDS) – LWAG are paid up members of this national environmental advocacy group