WAI Wānaka is the new name for the Upper Clutha Lakes Trust. WAI stands for Water Action Initiative. WAI Wānaka is an organisation where people who want to safeguard the health of our alpine waterways build communities that do.

WAI Wānaka coordinates the activities and needs of a diverse group representing the various segments of the community in the Upper Clutha water catchment area and beyond.

The group believes the iconic waterways of the Upper Clutha region are the community’s essential infrastructure, and that our community has a responsibility to safeguard the water and ensure water leaving the catchment is of high quality to avoid problems downstream.

WAI Wānaka believes that science lies at the heart of understanding how we balance the needs of
our community alongside maintaining the health of our environment, and advocates for the active management of waterways supported by evidence- based decision making.

Changing land use, population and tourism growth, invasive pests, climate change and loss of biodiversity are all bringing significant risk to freshwater. The group released Our Freshwater 2020, which paints a dismal picture of the current state of rivers and lakes in New Zealand. WAI Wānaka’s work in the community has
led to the development of a Community Catchment Plan which identified 60 actions addressing current and future risks to freshwater resources, to prevent decline in water quality and ecosystem function.

CLT provide operational support for this activator / navigator role to represent the wellbeing of the Upper Clutha lakes and waterways. The role coordinates the efforts and plans of well over 30 significant groups of local, regional and national stakeholders.