Your Catchment Group Coordinator
Sarah Thorne
027 588 5200
sarah@thrivingsouthland.co.nz
Catchment Group Contact
Cam Nelson
027 823 5672
midoreticatchment@gmail.com
Your free online tool to understand your land
A new FREE online tool, developed by the Mid Oreti Catchment Group and Collaborations, helps landowners in the Winton Stream catchment make informed decisions on where to place wetlands, runoff detainment bunds and sediment traps.
This user-friendly resource complements your local knowledge, and offers valuable insights into improving water quality, boosting biodiversity, and supporting the overall health of the land and waterways in the catchment.
There is also a big benefit to using the mapping for critical source areas, flow pathways and to understand your land that much better. The tool is easy to use and provides valuable data to inform on-farm water management decisions.
Learn more about the tool:
Southland Wetland Directory
The Southland Wetland Directory is your practical go-to guide for creating wetlands, runoff detainment bunds, and sediment traps.
Developed by the Mid Oreti Catchment Group, this resource is packed with practical tools and inspiration to help Southland landowners feel confident in taking the first steps to create their own wetlands, bunds, and sediment traps, along with all the wonderful benefits they bring.
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About Us
Started in October 2019, the Mid Oreti Catchment Group brings together over 120 members from rural Central Southland and Winton—farmers, rural professionals and township residents - united by wanting to look after and improve their community’s environment through improving water quality and biodiversity.
The group has a practical and friendly committee that catch up at their monthly nursery drop-in sessions and at local cafes, to share ideas and plan their future events and projects. These include workshops on seed collecting, wetlands and animal pests, alongside practical and inspiring field days, innovative local projects, and growing native plants to support local planting projects.
The group is friendly and approachable, and very happy to their knowledge and skills across Southland and beyond. They advertise their events on their colourful Facebook page and the Winton Community page, alongside the Winton Outlook newsletter.
Catchment Area
The Mid Oreti Catchment spans from Tussock Creek in the south to Taringatura in the north. It stretches east past Springhills along State Highway 96, and west to just east of Drummond. Winton Township sits in the middle of the catchment, with the Oreti River and Winton Stream as key waterways.
Recent Events
Monthly nursery drop-in sessions, school plantings and annual seed collecting events are key events for our Mid Oreti Mini Forest Movement. Launched in 2021, the project is all about supporting people learn how to grow their own native plants and support biodiversity.
Thanks to the generous support of AB Lime, a Westpac Water Care grant, Environment Southland, Thriving Southland, BNZ and all the volunteer hours, we’ve grown and distributed 5000 native plants to schools, landowners, and community groups in 5 years.
Monthly nursery drop-in sessions (4-6 pm on the first Tuesday of every month) and seed collecting events offer people hands-on experience in native plant propagation and seed collecting, and are a great way to share skills and experience. All ages are welcome and no experience is needed.
Locals can buy plant bundles for just $1.25 a plant (free for schools and community groups), and these funds help the project become self-sufficient. We support schools with planting days, and we’re always keen to work alongside anyone who wants to get involved - whether that’s lending a hand, sharing knowledge, or offering support.
Projects
Marshalling the Best is a free online tool developed by the Mid Oreti Catchment Group and Collaborations to help landowners in the Winton Stream catchment make practical, informed decisions on where to place wetlands, runoff detainment bunds and sediment traps on their land.
It’s designed to support people’s knowledge with easy-to-use mapping, that highlights critical source areas, flow pathways, and potential spots for wetlands, runoff detainment bunds, and sediment traps. The tool helps users better understand their land and identify simple ways to improve water quality, boost biodiversity, and support the health of local waterways.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to build on existing work, this tool is easy to use and provides valuable data to help with your on-farm management decisions to look after your water and land. The group also created the Southland Wetland Directory, packed full of useful information to help and inspire people to take their first steps to create their own wetland, bunds, or sediment traps, along with all the wonderful benefits they bring.
Other projects:
Mid Oreti Mini Forest Movement
1 Km Each Way Community Roadside Rubbish Pick-Up (with Greater Dipton and Makarewa Headwaters Catchment Groups)
Field Days on Run off Detainment Bunds, Wetlands, Composting Wintering Barns & Deer Farm Wintering
Co-hosted Mid & Lower Oreti Bus Trip
Stream Health, Animal Pest, Seed Collecting and Plant Propagation Workshops
Thriving Southland is a community-led group with a vision to create a prosperous Southland, healthy people, healthy environment from the mountains to the sea.
CONTACT US
25 Don Street,
Invercargill 9810
