Freshwater researchers from six departments across Otago presented at the inaugural Freshwater Forum held at Tūhura Otago Museum.
The inaugural Freshwater Forum recently hosted by the University of Otago, brought together freshwater scientists and community stakeholders to help address one of Aotearoa’s most pressing environmental challenges.
Led by Professor Ross Thompson, the inaugural Dame Carolyn Burns Chair in Freshwater Sciences based in the Department of Zoology, the Freshwater Forum aimed to build collaborative approaches for the benefit of Aotearoa’s vital freshwater resources.
Showcasing the variety of freshwater research taking place at Otago, 27 researchers from six departments presented at the event, that was attended by around 60 stakeholders. These included representatives from iwi, local councils, and other stakeholders from across the wider Otago-Southland region.
A key driver for the event was growing partnerships, and Ross says he was struck by the excellence and diversity of research already being undertaken in conjunction with stakeholders.
“Nearly half of the research projects presented at the forum are actively working in collaboration with rūnanga or local councils and highlighted the value of co-designed research and achieving impact through shared outcomes.
“Discussions revealed a strong appetite for scaling up these efforts into more strategic, cross-disciplinary initiatives. Participants also expressed interest in developing an overarching framework to guide future work that would also benefit coordination efforts”.
One of the forum’s goals was to share the range of research taking place across Otago’s diverse strengths in freshwater science, Ross says.
“An exciting emerging field is catchment management, which requires an interdisciplinary approach and expertise. Catchment management science explores the management of land use impacts and uses tools from a wide range of fields such as sedimentology, chemistry, and geomorphology.”
Department of Botany Professor Janice Lord, who attended the forum and presented her work on wetlands, said it was incredibly exciting to have so many skills in the room.
“What it highlighted is that doing good science is only part of the story,” Janice says. “We need to connect with stakeholders, policy makers, and communicate clearly why certain actions are needed and how they affect people’s lives.”
Professor Ross Thompson, the inaugural Dame Carolyn Burns Chair in Freshwater Sciences based in the Department of Zoology, led the Freshwater Forum.
Now well settled into his role as the Dame Carolyn Burns Chair in Freshwater Sciences, Ross’s own research is advancing best practice for water management and water quality in productive landscapes.
“My primary focus is working with farmers and forestry to celebrate the good operators and explore best practice for water quality in streams and rivers in these productive areas.”
His work also explores urban impacts on freshwater ecosystems and incorporates Indigenous knowledge systems to enhance restoration and conservation efforts.
As the Chair in Freshwater Sciences, he wishes to increase collaboration efforts to engage with the complex challenges facing Aotearoa New Zealand’s freshwater taonga and resources.
“My role is to work as a bridge between disciplines and bring people together through research that is mission-oriented and results in impact.
“What the forum reinforced was that strong partnerships with iwi, government, and industry are essential to create positive change for the future management and protection of our precious freshwaters.”
Kōrero by Guy Frederick (Sciences Communications Advisor)