MCC SUPPORTS RIWAKA ORCHARDISTS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR RIVER OUTCOMES

Last year MCC met with the Riwaka community to explore interest in forming a Riwaka Sub‑catchment Group. Partners agreed that the next step was to sit down with the landowning orchardists — the people working closest to the river — to understand their issues and concerns and present these to Council in a clear, organised way.

Connecting with rural landowners is one of the most important factors in whether sub‑catchment groups succeed, so it was encouraging to have six orchardists at the table at the meeting in February, supported by HortNZ representatives Matt Thorn and Charlotte Wright. Those attending included the Drummonds, Heywards and Farmright, among others.

The initial mood was understandably sceptical. Many families have dealt with the same river‑related challenges for generations, with little visible change in river management. Having Helen Forsey, Catchment Advisor at TDC, in the room helped shift the conversation — she was able to share up‑to‑date information and provide a direct line back to Council. Lucy from MCC outlined how a coordinated approach, backed by a clear plan, is more likely to get traction and attract funding. Orchardists could see that this was a different way of working, and potentially worth pursuing.

One orchardist, Scott Heyward, summed up the long‑term aspiration many share:

“I want my kids to be able to build houses on our land without fear of flooding, and for my grandchildren to fish in the river like I did as a child.”

With fruit and hops harvests now underway, Lucy and Helen will continue progressing the work on behalf of the orchardists and the wider community, with the next meeting planned for May once harvest is complete. In the meantime, local community members have also come together for freshwater monitoring training, supported by MCC and Tasman Bay Guardians — another step in building shared understanding of the river system.