Stakeholder plan for Manawatu River enhancement

University researchers working with Horizons Regional Council will combine stakeholder perspectives with current science to help create a management plan to protect and enhance the Manawatu River catchment.

Funding of $1.05 million was announced by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology for the Ecological Economics Research New Zealand centre, which integrates the study and management of social and cultural systems with the environment and the economy. The centre is part of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Centre director Associate Professor Marjan van den Belt says the three-year project will develop a toolkit for solving complex environmental problems by integrating science and stakeholder perspectives using environmental, socio-cultural and economic data.

Research from multiple disciplines will be incorporated into the project. “There has been a vast amount of research carried out on the catchment by the University, Horizons Regional Council and crown research institutes, whether it's natural sciences, social or economic,” Dr van den Belt says. “We’re hoping to include the work done by researchers from across the campus and other organisations, and adopt a truly holistic approach to better serve the community we are part of.”

Two techniques will be used. “The first is what we call mediated modelling, which will bring together representatives from sectors and groups with different points of view to resolve the problem and reach agreement on what options and actions have the greatest potential to bring an improvement. This uses a computer program to simulate how the river responds to different contaminants, the consequences of good or poor water quality, and the consequences of different actions on river water quality, cultural values, economic growth and social factors."

The model is developed by the participants with the help of a facilitator. “It is important to be inclusive and transparent, as any plan to address the catchment will need to have buy-in from those with a vested interest as well as building on existing initiatives," Dr van den Belt says. "To achieve this, we plan to have our stakeholders drive the project.

“The model itself isn’t the only goal – rather the model-building will assist the stakeholders to understand the benefits and trade-offs involved in addressing this complex challenge and also provide a tool that can be used to accommodate future change.”

She says for it to succeed stakeholders must be able to understand and use the model to simulate potential solutions for the catchment and be able to update it themselves as new information becomes available in the future.

A second technique, known as a Bayesian belief network, unites current scientific knowledge of the catchment, in terms of climatic, geological, ecological and other scientific data. This data will be able to show the probable effects of changes in land uses on water quality and the ability of certain fish species to survive in rivers and streams.

Iwi will participate in the process, with active collaboration from Rangitaane O Manawatu, Ngati Raukawa, and the Muaupoko Tribal Authority. Stakeholders in the project include Horizons, Fonterra, Federated Farmers, the Ministry for the Environment, Fish and Game, and the Palmerston North City Council.

An advisory board will be formed and workshops held to gather and distribute information. “This is action research,” Dr van den Belt says. “Our team will be directly involved in facilitating solutions to improve water quality in the Manawatu River and at the same time document what works and what does not work to improve the process for future implementation and for other regions.”