The final community meeting of round two of community consultation on the Land and Water plan was held at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery last week and online feedback can be provided until 31 December.

ORC General Manager Policy and Science Anita Dawe is encouraging more people to participate online with their feedback as it will help frame the Council’s new Land and Water Regional Plan.

Meetings were held across the region in halls and marae with ORC and iwi representatives and supported by our Councillors; on hand to hear feedback from the public. Meetings were held across the region’s Freshwater Management Units (FMUs): Catlins, Taieri, North Otago, Dunedin and Coast; and the Clutha ̶ Mata-Au FMU which is further divided into rohe (areas): Upper Lakes, Dunstan, Roxburgh, and Lower Clutha.

A group discussion session at the Oamaru Opera House.

Ms Dawe was pleased that people took the time to show up and strongly encourages more people to participate online, to ensure all views are considered.

“One of the more pleasing things to note was that there was common ground right across all the FMUs, with everyone wanting to have healthy waterways,” she says.

“People seemed to genuinely appreciate the community meeting process and the opportunity to be heard.”

“Some people could have easily kept workshopping with us for longer than the 2 hours allocated, and we love this level of dedication to the future of our waterways.”

While the community meetings have finished, the online feedback forms (which are specific to each FMU and rohe) will stay open until December 31.

The third and final round of consultation on the Land and Water Regional Plan will be held early in 2023.

You can find the feedback forms for your specific FMU here.

Don’t know which FMU you belong to? Find out here.