Workshop discusses new strategy for Rotorua lakes

People from throughout the Rotorua community took part in a workshop last week to discuss updating the Strategy for Rotorua's lakes.

About 60 people from iwi groups, key stakeholders, community group representatives, district and regional councillors worked together to develop input into a new strategy for the Rotorua Te Arawa lakes. The strategy is an overall management policy document that gives a vision for the future, and practical steps to achieve that vision.

Last year the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group considered an independent review of the existing Strategy and agreed to develop a new one, while retaining the current vision and overriding intent of co-management.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Strategic Development Manager Kataraina Maki said the workshop looked at the Strategy vision and fleshed out what it could mean.

"Through teamwork, the participants shared their aspirations for the lakes and what the strategy needed to achieve, why and how" she said.

The workshop participants talked about how the various community and local government groups need to work together, and what could be done better. Speakers included Te Arawa Trust Chief Executive Roku Mihinui, Waikato-Tainui Committee Chair Tukoroirangi Morgan and BNZ Sustainable Development Manager Michael Field, along with DairyNZ Bay of Plenty Regional Leader Sharon Morrell and Regional Council Chair in Lakes Management and Restoration Professor David Hamilton.

"Input gained from workshop will help focus the direction of the next strategy, including values and outcomes," Ms Maki said. A draft revised Strategy for the Lakes of the Rotorua District is due for public consultation in June 2012.