Catlins Project
Otago South River Care worked to deliver a project entitled Sustainable Farming and Forestry under the Catlins catchment action plan
The project had four main deliverables:
Test Waterways health -10 eDNA kits.
Potting mix for 2000 native trees in partnership with Otago correctional facility.
Field day to present results of water health tests and present opportunity for forage protection from pests.
Telling our water quality story with forestry and farming by video.
We'd like to thank the Otago Regional Council for their generous support for this project!
Telling our water quality story
Here's a video of landowners in the catchment area who are working hard to protect our environment.
Water testing
Environmental DNA samples were tested throughout the Catlins area, in total 10 sampling sites were collected.
Key fish species detected were:
kakahi
redfin bully
pouched lamprey
kōraro
giant kokopu
banded kokopu
gollum galaxias
These species are all native and it's great to know these fish are living and thriving in our catchment!
Potting mix and field day
We currently have a relationship with the Otago Corrections Facility in Milton, where upon providing potting mix and seeds the Correction Facility will grow plants for Otago South to be planted at community sites throughout the area. Here's a photo of plants picked up from the Corrections Facility in August 2026.
We also had a field day where a new product used to deter deer from feeding on forage crops was showcased. Farmers in the Catlins area are trialing this product, and results will be shared.
