The Final Report on Love Our Lagoons program
Love Our Lagoons – Pilot Project – Final Report – Prepared by Dr Dan Ducker
Executive Summary
Auckland’s West Coast contains a number of outstanding natural features which have been highly valued by people for hundreds of years, including beautiful forests, powerful black sand beaches, serene rivers and waterfalls. A particularly significant natural feature of several of the beaches is their lagoons, which drain broad catchments and create a unique environment for wildlife, a safe place for children to swim in compared to the ruggedness of the open coast, a place traditionally used for conducting ceremony, and a visually stunning feature appreciated by locals and visitors alike.
Unfortunately over the past fifty or so years, water quality in the lagoons has deteriorated to the extent that monitoring by local councils indicates many are unsafe for swimming about half of the time. The reasons for poor water quality appear highly complex, with some contributions from dogs, waterfowl, horses, however monitoring information suggests much contaminant input is of human origin, and in particular from poorly performing septic tanks and long drops.
EcoMatters was therefore commissioned by Auckland Council as a bridge organisation, to deliver a waste system support programme aimed at improving water quality. Our approach has been to recognise the complexity of the problem, the uniqueness of the individual communities along the coast, and the necessity for a community approach to understanding and resolving the problems. We have sought throughout the project to enhance empathy; to listen closely for hidden gems emerging as a result of our conversations; and overwhelmingly, to provide a means of empowering local community members, Tangata Whenua and Council.
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