At the Tomohaka/Tomahawk Lagoon Open Day, to be held this Saturday, from 9.30am to 11.30am at Ocean Grove Domain Hall, scientists from the Cawthron Institute will discuss the fieldwork they have done for an ecological assessments for Tomohaka/Tomahawk Lagoon and will share preliminary results.
Saturday’s open day is hosted by the Otago Regional Council and the community-based Tomahawk Lagoon Catchment Group, which has recently surveyed the local community to ask what people valued in the area and to highlight any issues.
Group founding member Steve Catty said Saturday’s open day would be a good opportunity to learn about the assessment work that had been done on the health of the lagoon, and to gain an understanding of the ecosystem.
"I’m very keen to hear about the preliminary findings from the Cawthron scientists, and to have some science-based recommendations to drive the work going forward," Mr Catty said.
It would also be good to hear from local citizen science group Ecotago, which had monitored the lagoon’s water quality and biodiversity since 2016. Ecotago would also share its plans to do riparian planting along one of the lagoon’s most important tributaries to help cut down on the flow of sediment into the waterway — depending on funding.
"There will also be a chance for a discussion of how the community can get involved in supporting the health of the lagoon in years to come, so it is going to be a busy open day," Mr Catty said.
Efforts to enhance Tomahawk Lagoon ramped up in 2018, when the ORC held public workshops to identify community goals, values and potential projects for the catchment, following up with consultations in 2021 involving key stakeholders, including mana whenua, to complete an outline management plan.
The plan identified three main goals for the lagoon — the formation of a local catchment group, water quality data and an ecological assessment.
In November 2022, Freya Moore, took up the role of ORC project delivery specialist with a specific focus on the Roto-nui-a-Whatu/Lake Tuakitoto catchment project, and the Tomahawk Lagoon Catchment project.
In addition, ORC had dedicated $260,000 over three years "to enhance the Tomahawk Lagoon catchment through community action to contribute to a healthy ecosystem for all to enjoy".
In March 2023, scientists from Cawthron Institute undertook the fieldwork component of the ecological assessments for Tomohaka/Tomahawk Lagoon and Roto-nui-a-Whatu/Lake Tuakitoto, and are now analysing data to prepare a report to be released in the coming months.
