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Media Release Independent Report Confirms Thriving Southland’s Positive Impact on Farmers and the Environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAn independent report from Pragmatica Limited reveals the significant impact of Thriving Southland’s support for the region’s Catchment Groups. The report, led by Judy Oakden, highlights how Thriving Southland’s approach has empowered farmers, fostered stronger ties with scientists, and encouraged the use of sustainable farming practices across the region.Key findings include:·       Enhanced capability: 86% of respondents said Thriving S...

Press Release Rural Christmas Competition Proving a Winner

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Tune in to The Muster to find out about this year's Christmas competition

The 2024 Christmas Competition is heating up, and Rachael Halder spilled all the details on The Muster with Andy....

December 2024 Thriving Southland Newsletter

As the year draws to a close, it’s timely to reflect on the amazing Catchment Group work that is making a real difference in Southland. We held our AGM in Otautau mid-November and were delighted to have more than 50 people come along. We heard some fascinating insights from Neal Wallace’s recent overseas trip and focused the great year that’s been. Thriving Southland is celebrating five years this year and there’s a lot to smile about in the Catchment Group space:Southland now ...

Sarah Thorne and Ainsley Adams discuss a free online tool that could help you understand your land better

Tune in to The Muster to hear Catchment Coordinator Sarah Thorne and Mid Oreti Catchment Group Leader Ainsley Adams discuss a free online tool that could help you understand your land better and support water quality in the Winton Stream Catchment. ...

November 2024 Thriving Southland Newsletter

At last after a long hard spring it’s good to feel the temperatures rise and finally see more sun. What better way to celebrate that than to showcase all the fantastic mahi happening around the region. Congratulations to all those who attended the Environment Southland Community Awards during October - it was outstanding to see so many people with Catchment Group connections as finalists across community, water quality, farming, business, biodiversity and other categories. Massive co...

Media Release | 1 October 2024 | Thriving Southland ‘Catchment Convos Podcast’ launches

Real people, real projects and some great yarns are the inspiration behind Thriving Southland’s ‘Catchment Convos Podcast’ which launches today (October 1).Thriving Southland is a community-led group with a vision to create a prosperous Southland, healthy people, healthy environment from the mountains to the sea. They work to support catchment groups across the region.Podcast host and Thriving Southland senior catchment co-ordinator Rachael Halder said the team were keen to start the podca...

Rachael Halder chats to Andy about the new Catchment Convos podcast

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October 2024 Thriving Southland Newsletter

With record amounts of the wet stuff tumbling down during September, It’s an unbelievably tough time for our rural community with relentless wet weather conditions.We're really proud to see everyone hanging in there together. Phone calls being made, networks being leaned on, food being dropped off, and beers being shared – that's Southland spirit.Really hoping that old saying, “Southland will get you down, but it won’t let you down,” rings true soon.Remember to keep in touch with ...

September 2024 Thriving Southland Newsletter

It’s been a great – if cold – August and we hope you’re all doing okay in the wet, cold, snow conditions. A highlight this August is seeing our Catchment Groups connecting with each other. The Waikawa Catchment Group invited the Makarewa Headwaters Catchment Group to their patch to chat about their revival project, aimed at eradicating feral animals in their area (see more on that here). The Waikawa Catchment Group had identified this as a key issue for them, so what better way to g...

August 2024 Thriving Southland Newsletter

Wow - July was a huge month on the event front with Catchment Group members across the region coming up with great ideas. There’s been plant propagation, considerations of animal pest issues, wellbeing events, winter grazing tours and heaps of other fantastic Catchment Group activity, which you can read more about below.One of the highlights was the culmination of the Beyond Regulation project, with a tagline of ‘Finding the right pathway forward for your business’. The project has include...

Richard Kyte chats to Andy about the upcoming Beyond Regulation event

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July 2024 Thriving Southland Newsletter

You might notice a bit of a theme about Catchment Group happenings in June! That’s right, most of them are inside. It’s been a wet month for all of Southland, and I know that we’re hoping to dry out a bit during July. Having said that, some hardy souls donned jackets to check out Dot and Geoff Stevens’ manmade wetlands at Acton Downs, near Mossburn. The homemade baking afterwards was probably enough of an attraction to be fair. And it was amazing to see all the mums at the...

June 2024 Thriving Southland Newsletter

As the days draw in, there’s plenty to do on farm and we wonder what sort of winter we’re going to get - hopefully plenty of sunshine to keep a smile on our faces.It’s been a busy month for Catchment Groups during May with everything from seed gathering days to resilience workshops to hosting students from Lincoln and looking at fantastic, innovative farm practice around the region. More on all that below.Arguably the highlight of last month was the Southland AgriTech and Innovation Day wi...

May 2024 Thriving Southland Newsletter

It’s a busy time of year (like it always seems to be!) with lots of fantastic Catchment Group activity happening in Southland. If you haven’t grabbed your spot at the the Southern AgriTech and Innovation Day 2024, hosted by Thriving Southland and supported by the Gore/Waimumu Catchment Group at the Southern Field Days site in Waimumu, Gore on 2 May - you need to get in real quick! This free event has over 200 registrations already – and is dedicated to showcasing the latest advancemen...

Tania Clarke chats to Andy about the upcoming Southern Agritech and Innovation Day

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April 2024 Thriving Southland Newsletter

As we sprint into autumn, we hope you’ve managed to sneak a weekend away or some other down time to enjoy a bit of R&R before things ramp up again on farm. If you were among the lucky bus load who got to tour Forest Lodge Orchard and Garston Hops during the month, you will have come away inspired by the technology and innovative ideas that have been developed into thriving primary sector businesses. If you didn’t manage to get along, check out the article and pics below. Elsewh...

March 2024 Thriving Southland Newsletter

Catchment Groups across the region have been flying into action in the early stages of 2024 as ideas become brainstorms, and brainstorms become projects. We are excited to have received several funding applications already and, with more on the way, it’s looking like it’s going to be an epic year for Catchment Group projects in Southland. There’s a lot of energy and great leadership in our Groups, and it’s fantastic to see it channelled into inspiring community action. Cat...

February 2024 Thriving Southland Newsletter

We hope you have had time for a good break during the Christmas and New Year period, and are feeling recharged, ready for a great year ahead - and everything that might come our way.As we kick into 2024, we're buzzing with excitement for what lies ahead with the Southland Catchment Groups!We're enjoying a summer packed with community camaraderie, environmental stewardship, and plenty of good vibes.We’ve got a newsletter packed with all the latest goings on, including all the fun from the annua...

Richard Kyte chats to Andy about the latest NZIER report titled 'Exploring positive family farm succession', commissioned by Thriving Southland.

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New Associate Board Member - Anna Irwin

We would love to introduce you to our newest board member - Anna Irwin...

December 2023 Thriving Southland Newsletter

It’s great to see the diversity of thought and action among Southland Catchment Groups. As 2023 races towards the finish line, there’s plenty of planning, planting and off-farm get-togethers happening. We’re seeing how much of an impact farmer-led Catchment Groups can have with significant progress around water quality and landscape issues, not to mention the wealth of interest from all over New Zealand about what’s being achieved. This month, it was rewarding to see Catchment ...

November 2023 Thriving Southland Newsletter

It's hard to believe it’s already November. Hopefully people are coming out the other side of lambing and calving with a smile on their faces. Catchment Groups are already putting the thinking caps on for next year’s events and we are seeing them picking up where they left off and looking into areas including landscape mapping and pest control, amongst others. October felt like the ultimate awards month and a huge congratulations to those Groups and individuals who were finalists a...

Farmer-led Thriving Southland project boosts confidence towards environmental change, report says

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October 2023 Thriving Southland Newsletter

It’s been a relatively quiet time on the Catchment Group events front with calving and lambing front of mind, but as we race towards the end of the year, there’s plenty of events, competitions and get-togethers in the pipeline. Reflecting on the past month and the impact of the wet, windy, and wild weather, September has certainly been a challenging. It's added pressure at an already busy time on the farm. It’s important to remember to reach out and check in with friends and neighbour...