Avon and Heathcote River Story, Canterbury – River Story finalist at the New Zealand River Awards 2017

Children from 16 schools are working with local community and iwi to bring back the whitebait/īnaka to the Heathcote/ Ōpāwaho and Avon/Ōtākaro Rivers. Changes to river bank spawning habitat meant that īnaka have been in decline for some time and the 2011 earthquakes caused further damage. Work is proving successful, with straw bales nurturing over 1.5 million eggs in the Heathcote/ Ōpāwaho River during 2016.

River Stories recognise and celebrate the contribution of individuals, groups, businesses and communities working together to make a difference to the health of New Zealand’s rivers and streams. Cawthron Foundation is proud to be running the NZ River Awards 2017.