MCI sampling for the Mimihau River
Catchment Group:
Project:
MCI sampling for the Mimihau River
Funding:
$22,952 excl. GST
Period:
Mar 21 to Mar 22
Project Description
Following Mimihau Catchment Group’s event with Cawthron Institute’s Freshwater Ecologist Robin Holmes, who introduced Macroinvertebrate Community Index (MCI) testing and rapid habitat assessment, the group contracted Robin to undertake ten water sampling sites along the Mimihau stream. This was incorporated into a field event for the community to build knowledge on how to do their own MCI sampling, including the Menzies College senior science class. The testing events were spread throughout the day to give flexibility of joining at a convenient time. A baseline report was put together by Cawthron with recommendations to the Catchment Group based on the findings from the sampling sites.
Objectives
- Build engagement whilst understanding and gaining knowledge about the effects of land use decisions on stream health.
- Bring MCI testing and results to life for the community - in real time and with accessible results.
- Build the skill in the group to take their own MCI samples.
- Group members to build a story of the whole Mimihau stream and work out ways to improve stream health over time.
- Boost land holders’ confidence to support on-farm change in the future.
- Enable connection with the local high school by sharing knowledge and skills.
Outcomes
- Increased engagement, with more local testing sites.
- Independent testing owned by the group to build on in the future but with a sound scientific base to start with.
- Support on-farm change by giving confidence to landholders that the land management changes are the right ones.
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.
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25 Don Street,
Invercargill 9810
