Lake Tuakitoto Project
We're currently working alongside the Otago Regional Council to help restore the health throughout the Lake Tuakitoto catchment.
Lake Tuakitoto
Lake Tuakitoto is considered a regionally significant wetland and forms a key part of a wider wetland complex. The Lake is home to a number of different birds and fish and supports populations of endemic species. It was a culturally significant mahinga kai gathering site for mana whenua.
Our work in the catchment
Following an ecological assessment of the Lake and its catchment, a recommendation of this assessment was to continue to enhance the Lake's catchment. The Otago Regional Council have provided funding to enable Otago South River Care to work with landowners in the catchment to undertake native planting and restoration.
As of 30 June 2025, OSRC had planted over 6,000 native plants in the catchment, all with the aim of enhancing both the health of the catchment and downstream into the Lake.
Otago Regional Council's work
The Otago Regional Council are working to restore the health of the Lake, and have developed a Lake Tuakitoto Outline Management Plan, which has as its vision:
A thriving Lake Tuakitoto catchment, where water quality and biodiversity are maintained and enhanced through community action to contribute to a healthy ecosystem for all to enjoy.
To find out more about the work Otago Regional Council are undertaking in the catchment, follow this link.
