Environmental Leadership in Action - Ahuriri Tributaries Catchment Group Trust Hosts Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment

Added 2 weeks ago

On Tuesday 29th April, the Ahuriri Tributaries Catchment Group Trust (ATCGT) had the honour of hosting the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, the Rt Hon Simon Upton, and his team, Nora Lanari and Geoff Simmons, during a significant visit to the Hawke’s Bay region. Despite an unexpected delay caused by a sparrow in the flight deck turning their plane back to Wellington, the Commissioner’s visit went ahead, bringing together regional environmental leaders and the local community to discuss the future of land use and environmental stewardship.

The Commissioner’s itinerary began with a tour of the Ahuriri Catchment, led by ATCGT Trustees and team members, including Robert Pattullo (Chair), Phil Schofield, Keiko Hashiba, Matt Truebridge, and Peter McIntosh. They were joined by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) Senior Rural Advisor Alice Rule and Mana Ahuriri Trustee Tipene Cottrell. The tour provided a first-hand view of the local environment, challenges, and active restoration projects within the 8,995-hectare catchment.

The Ahuriri Catchment is home to approximately 3,600 people and over 1,000 small landowners, many actively engaged through the ATCGT’s innovative programmes. These include stream restoration projects, environmental education sites, and the widely praised Mini Freshwater Environmental Plans (MFEPs), designed for lifestyle block owners. With 34 MFEPs already implemented and over 3,400 native plants in the ground, the Trust is demonstrating practical, scalable solutions to environmental management.

Following the tour, a Community Environmental Forum was held at Napier’s MTG. Commissioner Upton presented insights from his recent report, Going with the Grain, which outlines the need for changing land use to adapt to New Zealand’s shifting climate and environmental realities. He emphasized the role of catchment groups as vital conduits between policy and practice, advocating for decentralised decision-making and greater access to environmental data to empower local action.

Speaking alongside the Commissioner were Hinewai Ormsby, Chair of HBRC, and Parris Greening, General Manager of Mana Ahuriri Trust. In a moment rich with meaning, the Mana Ahuriri Trust presented ATCGT with a historic pre-earthquake map of Te Whanganui ā Orotu (Ahuriri Estuary), symbolising a shared vision for the future of the Whanga. The gesture was deeply appreciated, with ATCGT Chair Robert Pattullo receiving the Koha as members of Mana Ahuriri performed a waiata, honouring the collaboration and mutual commitment to environmental restoration.

This event marks another milestone for ATCGT, established formally in 2022 following three years of community consultation. Backed by a four-year Ministry for Primary Industries funding agreement and a comprehensive strategic plan, the Trust is proving that community-led initiatives can drive meaningful change at scale. With 87% of local catchment groups actively conducting freshwater testing and 75% engaged in biodiversity and wetland restoration, the model is gaining national attention.

The Ahuriri visit by the Parliamentary Commissioner underscores a growing recognition of grassroots leadership in environmental stewardship. As land use pressures mount and climate challenges intensify, the work of ATCGT and similar collectives across Aotearoa provides a hopeful, grounded pathway forward. For more information, visit www.ahuriricatchment.nz.