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Image - cover of SOE documentThe Waikato State of the Environment report 2022 interprets years of environmental monitoring data, and provides recommendations on how environmental outcomes can be improved.

In the Waikato region, our natural environment is rich and diverse.

We’ve got New Zealand’s longest river, about a quarter of its best soils, most of its geothermal resources, the largest karst area, as well as internationally significant wetlands.

The Waikato region has experienced some big changes in a fairly short time.

Our population grew 20 per cent from 2006 to 2018, and pastoral intensification took place on 40 per cent of farmland between 2001 and 2018.

Understanding the effects of these changes on our air, land and water is critical for safeguarding what we use and rely on, now and in the future.

Waikato State of the Environment report 2022

To navigate the report, we've synthesised information across the environmental domains of air, land and water to provide a condensed, integrated description of the Waikato region’s environment.

It also contains information that will be used to inform policy development and support environmental outcomes and actions.

Contents

Wāhanga tuatahi | Part 1
He tīmatanga kōrero | Introduction

Wāhanga tuarua | Part 2
Ngā rawa taiao | Our natural resources

Wāhanga tuatoru | Part 3
Mō tātou, mō te toiora | Our people, our wellbeing

Wāhanga tuawhā | Part 4
He hītori hurihanga taiao | A brief history of environmental change

Wāhanga tuarima | Part 5
Mātauranga Māori | Indigenous knowledge and practices

Wāhanga tuaono | Part 6
Te hau | Air

Wāhanga tuawhitu | Part 7
Te whenua | Land

Wāhanga tuawaru | Part 8
Te wai | Water

Wāhanga tuaiwa | Part 9
He kōtuinga | Synthesis

Wāhanga tekau | Part 10
Urupare | Response
He anga whakamua | Looking forward


Supporting technical reports

Read and learn more about the technical reports that form the basis of the Waikato State of the Environment report. Select a topic or report, below.


Our monitoring programmes

Monitoring and reporting on the state of the Waikato environment is a core activity for us. Learn more about our monitoring programmes below.


Other environmental information

The environmental information we collect from our monitoring programmes contribute to a number of regional and national initiatives. Check them out below.