Environmental Action in Water Quality Improvement Award

Established in 2017, the Between the Domes Catchment Group covers Mossburn, Five Rivers, Lumsden, Lintley, Castlerock and everywhere in between.

Uniquely, the group operates with three chairs – Jim Andrew, Laurie Selbie and Daniel Jones. Jim is a dairy farmer in the catchment, Laurie a sheep and beef farmer and Daniel owns the nursery in Lumsden. The group has been leading four major projects in the catchment, supported by Thriving Southland – a bale wrap recovery scheme, a catchment-wide survey on farm data, a mental wellness focus through various events, and lastly the construction of three major wetlands in the catchment.

The survey has shown that some impressive actions to improve water quality are being undertaken in the environment to better protect the environment. For example, 67% of respondents planted natives between the value of $1000 and $200,000 in the last three years, and 62% of respondents were planning additional planting in the next five years.

Judges commented it was one of the few projects they had seen with a long-term focus. “It’s clear to the group, even though they are at the top of the catchment, they have an important role to play.”