The plan

The Whaka-Ora Healthy Harbour plan is a catchment management plan with a vision of restoring the ecological and cultural health of Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour as mahinga kai, for generations to come.

It’s a long-term vision, which will require the effort, leadership and commitment of many people, across the catchment and across multiple generations. Everyone has a role to play. The plan outlines sixty-seven prioritised actions that will help turn the vision of a healthy harbour – te whaka ora – into reality. Some of these actions will require leadership from the five partner organisations, but many will be led by members and groups within harbour communities.

Whāinga - Goals

Our goal is to restore Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour to an environment that is abundant, healthy and interconnected.

01 Abundant

There will be an abundance of native species within the Whakaraupō/Lyttelton harbour catchment. People of all ages and abilities will be able to gather shellfish from the shore, and fishers will always come home with enough for their families. Native birdsong will be an everyday sound, penguins and dolphins will be commonplace in the harbour, and native plants will cover the landscape.

02 Healthy

Our waterways will be planted, thriving ecosystems. Sedimentation, pest species and pollution will not be limiting the growth of native plants and animals. People will not have to think twice about eating kai/food they have caught from the harbour or sourced from the land.

03 Interconnected

The community will continue to be interconnected with Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour. Locals and visitors of all abilities will easily access natural recreation and mahinga kai sites. Locals are proud to be guardians of the harbour and are passionate about the future of their home, ensuring future generations can experience what makes this place unique.

Pou - Guiding principles

Pou are carved wooden posts, which where traditionally placed in the environment to guide people to key locations. Three pou, or guiding principles, were used to guide decision-making while the plan was being developed. We will keep using them, as we put the plan into action.